Infection
by FTEcho 4
Summary: Sequel to OCAD. Mere days after becoming Kanto's Master, Ash is dispatched as part of a team to investigate a minor disturbance in Lavender Town. What he finds there heralds a battle that threatens to steal away everything and everyone he's ever known...
1. Coup D'état

**Infection**

_Prologue: Coup D'état_

"Get in there and shut up."

Two armed escorts/guards pushed their half guest/half prisoner into a small, windowless room and shut the door behind him. Fittingly, the interior appeared to have been designed by someone who hadn't been sure if they had wanted a waiting room or a holding cell. The decorations were comfortable, if somewhat dark, and there was a small table in one corner that held a few magazines, although he had no intention or desire to pick one up. But the unmistakable _clang_ of a heavy bar and bolt being placed across the door made it very clear that no one left this room until the Boss said so.

One of the guards spoke gruffly through the locked door. "He'll call you in soon. If I was you, I'd be thinking of what I was going to say _reeeeeal_ quick; the Boss just hates when some nobody comes in and wastes his time. And people the Boss hates don't last very long around here."

"I'll remember that," the prisoner muttered back under hi s breath.

His lip curled in disgust as the escort/guards walked away. Were these really the types of people he was trying to align himself with?

"Nothing but a bunch of bullies and crooks," he told the blank walls. "With no more than half a brain between the lot of them."

Of course, it would be his immediate goal to fix that if all went as planned. But the uniforms on the brusque guards had called up memories of his old group, disbanded more than a year prior. Now _that_ had been a team of good people; idealists, perhaps, but every single one of them had _goals_ and _dreams_ other than just stealing Pokémon and getting rich. Given the choice between them and the group he was seeing today, he'd pick the old one a thousand times over.

_But then… beggars can't be choosers,_ he thought. He looked down at himself, feeling somewhat disgusted once again at the clothes he wore: once white and clean, now gray and tattered from constant use. A beggar… he'd been exactly that ever since the fall of the old Team…

* * *

**Just Over One Year Ago**

_Breeeep! Breeeep! Breeeep!_

Deep inside Team Galactic's headquarters, the intruder alarm was sounding, calling all available men to defend the base. But one man stood alone in one of the most isolated rooms, thunderstruck by what had just happened to him.

"Wretched children…"

Stepping dazedly through the wrecked rubble of what was once his personal base of operations, the high-ranking Galactic glanced over the area, wondering over what the intruders had done. It was nothing short of amazing, considering how young and inexperienced they had appeared, that they had done so much damage so quickly. Years of work synthesizing the materials, creating the process to take those raw materials and turn them into something _useful_… in short, preparing everything for his leader… it was all gone now, in the blink of an eye.

"Not that he was planning to use my ideas anyway…" he mused. "His plans were totally different. Perhaps if I had completed my research faster..."

The researcher sighed. "But then, control was never his goal. He wanted to recreate the world… A fool's notion from the beginning. If he had only listened, he could have made this one exactly what he wanted… Even now, there's a bit left. Perhaps if he is mistaken… If he fails… There could still be a chance to change his mind..."

Driven by this notion, he moved to the back of the room, where his computer terminal sat. It was opened and logged on, the three intruders having had just rifled through all his files before making their escape. Luckily, they hadn't stumbled upon the two most important programs on the thing; if they had known about his reserves, all would have been lost. But they hadn't known, hadn't asked, and now he was left with the thought that perhaps his work wasn't _all_ gone.

And as long as that last bit remained, he could start again.

The researcher scanned quickly through several layers of protected files. He had put quite the effort into making sure that absolutely no one would ever find the two instructions that were hidden in this, his personal workstation, and no one ever had. Not even his superiors knew about them. He had put them in as a failsafe, just in case the base was compromised and he needed to make a very quick exit. Three tenets he lived by, and they had never failed him before: never appear to be in control (it makes you a target), never make the first move (the second move has the advantage of seeing the first), and never do anything without a backup plan.

(Just in case.)

The deepest file was aptly named by that thought: "JUSTINCASE". Opening it, he ran the first program: "SECRETPLACE".

Immediately, he heard a soft click from the table under the computer as the hidden compartment he had installed unlocked. He hastily grabbed the handle of the top drawer and pulled it all the way out. Papers scattered and joined the pile of debris as he threw it away, freeing him to reach in and open _another_ drawer that had been hidden behind the first.

Ripping it from within, the researcher was relieved to see that the contents were still there. He set the drawer down next to the computer, then pulled out the lone item within: a small, unadorned black cube about the size of a jewelry box. _Please… let there be a bit left, _he thought, readying himself for disappointment, just in case it was all gone.

But before he could act, a shout disrupted him. From the lobby of the headquarters, he heard someone cry "Police! Nobody move!"

_Time's up._

One hand pulled out the lone Pokéball he carried as his other selected the very last program on the computer and started it running. In the tiny span of moments he had while it started up, he opened the Pokéball, releasing his Natu, and used the free hand to grab and pocket the black box. The tiny green bird looked at him quizzically, expecting its normal order for a Teleport. It was not disappointed.

"Natu, I need you to be ready to Teleport us both as far away as you can manage on my signal. Understood?"

Natu chirped a quiet acknowledgement.

The scientist turned back to the computer, where his program, "FAILSAFE" was waiting for him. He typed out a set of passwords, fingers flying across the keys, and as he typed the last one, he cried "Now!"

An instant before Natu sent them away, he pressed enter and the program began to execute.

The instant after, the police burst through the door.

Later, in their searches of his lab and his computer, they would find a great deal of information on Team Galactic's plans. Along with the data from the other terminals around the base, as well as witness testimonies and a few captured grunts who were all too eager to give up everything in exchange for a bit of leniency, they were able to gather all the evidence they could ever need to put everyone who had been in any kind of contact with Team Galactic behind bars.

Except one.

The researcher's program had done its job well. In the few minutes it had taken the police to clean out the base, it had run through every file on every computer Galactic owned, wiping out every trace of evidence that he had ever been there. It took his name off of rosters, erased his personal research projects, and generally made him untouchable. For that matter, the police never even knew he existed.

And the scientist named Leon got away from the whole mess scot-free.

* * *

It came as no surprise to Leon a few days later when, sitting in the lobby of the Eterna City Pokémon Center, he saw a news report detailing the failure of Team Galactic's attempts to summon and control three Legendary Pokémon, all at the hands of the very same group of kids who had wrecked his plans. Then came the inevitable list of those people who had been captured either at the base or on Mount Coronet, all of whom were expected to be in prison for a long, long time.

Finally, Leon watched nervously as the short list of names came up he had been waiting for: those still at large. There was Pokémon Hunter J, of course, as well as their Boss Cyrus, who had disappeared at Spear Pillar. Then there were a few low-level grunts who had been away when the base was invaded, and had managed to slip away from the police chasing them. All these names, as well as their pictures and information, were plastered across the screen for the world to see: once they came out of hiding, they were sure to be caught quickly.

His own name, however, did not come up at all.

So it was a very cheerful man who stepped out of that Center, with not a spot on his record and a world of possibilities open before him. He was soon to learn, however, that possibilities weren't quite enough.

Other than the bit of material he had rescued from the base, he had nothing. He had no job, no real home, and no history that anyone could connect to. He tried to find a university position in Sinnoh, but those all fell through at the interview stage. He had nothing to tell them about what he had been doing for the past decade, and that was just too much for any of them to take lightly. And it was that way everywhere he looked: credit card companies turned him down, he couldn't get even a part-time job, and between applications and travel, he quickly burned through his savings. After a last-ditch effort applying to the technology research firm of Silph Co. in Saffron City, he was left alone and penniless, stranded in the middle of Kanto.

For months, he had lived without a home. He quickly learned to keep moving, since no city's police would abide a hobo sticking around for long. He had to scrounge for scraps, sleep in the lobbies of Pokémon Centers, and do whatever jobs fell his way. With constant effort, he barely managed to scrape up enough to feed himself and Natu and keep going.

Then, on the whispers of the wind, he had heard something that had given him hope: rumors of another Team, Team Rocket, that operated in Kanto's darkest corners. A vast underground organization of thieves and men who dreamed of power, their guerilla tactics and terrorist plots were striking fear into the hearts of Kanto citizens everywhere, and though there hadn't been any major attacks yet, it seemed only a matter of time until the rogues started escalating that way.

For the first time in nearly a year, Leon started planning again. He knew that he possessed the power to gain control of that group, this Team, but how to go about it? And how to contact them?

It had taken him a month more to develop his plan, and a few days more to put it in place. He travelled back to Celadon, where he had heard rumors of a Rocket hideout. He looked for a point of contact, but he could find nothing, and so he had to take a risk to attract them, breaking his usual tenets of never making the first move and never moving without a backup plan. In the end he simply walked through town, loudly asking everyone there if they had met Team Rocket, and how one could contact them. After about two hours of this, he was picked up on a street corner by two very burly men and taken to their blacked-out van to be "dealt with." It was only by a stellar display of debate that he was able to convince them that he needed to see their leader more than they needed to find a quiet place to dispose of him. And it was even harder to convince the "executive" in charge that he _desperately_ needed to speak with the head of Team Rocket in person. But somehow, miraculously, he broke through. And so they had bundled him into that very same van and driven for hours along some meandering route towards their main headquarters.

And now, finally, he was on his way back to the top.

* * *

_If I can just get close enough to touch him… _That was all he would need. One instant of contact, and everything else would fall into place. Leon knew this. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he lightly touched the two items in them: tiny relics of his past, and hopefully of his future. They were the keys to his success. And now he stood at the door.

_Clang!_

And speaking of doors…

Leon quickly removed his hands from his pockets and stood up at attention. The two guards from before filed in.

"He calls for you."

"Right, then," Leon said. "So you'll escort me…"

"In and out," the Rocket confirmed.

"And if you don't prove useful, we'll be taking you…" The other chuckled with black mirth. "Well, I'll leave that to your imagination."

Leon resisted the urge to quaver at this. After all, he _did_ have something useful. It was convincing their Boss of that enough to pique his interest that would prove difficult.

He was led with a guard on each arm through the windowless facility. They passed not a soul as they moved up several stairwells, until finally they came to a twin set of hardwood doors flanked on each side by two elite Rockets.

The doormen were blunt. "You will go in. You will not speak unless told to do so. And you will not move without permission. If you break any of those rules, he will call for us, and we will make your life unpleasant and short. Do you understand?"

At this, Leon could only nod.

On each side of the door, a guard grasped a handle, and together they pulled the way open. Leon was somehow unnerved at how quietly everything went: it seemed like something should be creaking, or grunting, or dragging, but it was all perfectly in sync, and perfectly silent.

From the dark depths of the room, he heard someone say "Enter." It was terribly difficult to fight through his fear, but Leon just managed to lift up a foot and start moving forward. The instant he cleared the threshold, the doors slammed shut behind him with a thunderous crash. He was left in the room, apparently alone. The exact shape and size of the room was hidden by near total darkness at the edges, but a spotlight created a small circle of light on a red carpet in the center.

"Move forward into the light," the same voice said. Leon could barely make out where it was coming from, but when he looked, he saw a faint outline of a man in the darkness. Leon nearly panicked here, realizing that it might not be possible to get close to this man fast enough to touch him before the guards came, but he steeled his resolve and walked forward. _No turning back now, anyway. I'll simply have to improvise._

"Now, then, Mr. Leon… What have you brought me? What was so urgent that it was worth me spending the time and money to bring you here? And I warn you…" Leon was sure he saw eyes flash in the darkness. "If you don't have something that will return that investment, I promise that it will be wrung out of you, one way or another."

"Yes, sir," Leon said. "Sir… what do you desire?"

"Excuse me?" The Boss said, surprised momentarily by his forwardness.

"What do you want?" Leon repeated. "What are you working towards with this Team?"

Recovering, Team Rocket's leader returned to his "business voice." "Team Rocket has a plainly stated goal: Through theft, research, and force, to gain enough influence to take control of the Kanto region in the short term, with the eventual hope of controlling the entire globe. This is well known."

Leon smiled wide. "Then I believe I can be of assistance."

"Then tell me how!" The Boss demanded, slamming a fist onto his desk. "I didn't allow you to come here to play games with me! I want a method, a plan, something constructive!"

"I have all of that. But…" Leon bit his lip. "I don't know how to show you. I could, but… could you come to me?"

"What?" he cried in fury. "You dare—"

"It will take only a moment," Leon promised, sweat beading up on his brow. "And what I can promise you is absolute control over every man, woman, and child in Kanto. Even the wild Pokémon, if that is your desire. All I ask is one moment of your time and trust."

The shadows growled. "If you lie… If you make any moves at all beyond what I allow, I will turn your existence into a hell beyond your imagining."

"I am willing to accept that risk."

The faint outline vanished as the leader stood. He walked carefully around something, probably a desk, and stood at the very edge of the light, making sure his face was still well hidden in shadow.

"Well?" He demanded.

Leon smiled once more and held out a hand. "If you would be so kind?"

_Please, please, please, _he silently prayed.

For a moment, the man considered it; he held up a hand cautiously. Then with a casual "hmph" he gave in and shook.

In the instant that they touched, a spark jumped across from Leon to the Boss. It was a tiny thing, something that the old man barely even noticed; at most, he made a small mental note to get the carpet removed. But inside himself, feeling that connection, Leon was jumping for joy. Because he had felt it before, and he knew what it meant:

Victory!

"You can sit back down now," Leon remarked casually, relaxing completely as the reality of his success sank in. From the inside pocket of his ruined lab coat, he pulled out a pair of gloves, gloves which, unlike the rest of his clothes, were carefully kept in perfect condition. He slipped the pair on, flexing the fingers and sighing happily as he felt the connection to the Boss grow stronger. "Oh, and hit the lights on your way there, please."

The Boss, hearing this, blew up. In an instant he was shouting for the guards to come take this imbecile away, already mentally planning the many torments to be visited upon him over the next few days.

At least, that was what was _supposed _to happen.

In reality, the Boss turned and walked stiffly away from Leon, his legs moving and mouth not moving seemingly of their own accord, and sat back in his seat. His hand moved to flip a switch under his desk, and the lights in the area came on full.

And Leon laughed. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" In his utter joy, he even danced a little. "I'm back to the top again! And now!" He looked across the room to take a better look at the man who had, somehow, lost control of everything, including himself. He was heavily built, with a square face and jaw to match his shoulders, and he wore a revolting orange tuxedo over a green shirt. "Ugh!" Leon exclaimed. "Who makes you wear that?"

The Boss' tongue felt like it was made of lead as he forced words out through Leon's mysterious chokehold. "What did you…"

Leon cut off the man's attempts to speak with an order. "Tell me your name."

Instantly, he was compelled to respond. "Giovanni Terremoto." Then, keeping his mouth moving after that statement, he pushed out a moan of "What's happening to me?"

"Oh, that," Leon replied indifferently. "It's precisely as I told you: _absolute control._" He gave Giovanni a cruel grin. "I never said that that control would be in _your_ hands, though, did I?" And he laughed again at the growing horror and fury in Giovanni's eyes.

"I've left you your mind, for the moment," Leon remarked, "because I want you to understand, to know _exactly_ what I have done, before I take all of your free will away. But don't worry; you'll be blissfully at peace with of all this in just a few minutes."

Giovanni tried to lunge at his captor, but all he succeeded in producing was a quiet growl of fury.

Leon shook his head. "Now, now, Giovanni." He shook a finger like a scolding mother. "Watch that temper. Especially when you're talking to someone with absolute_ control_ over _everything_ you _do_!" As Leon stressed those three words, Giovanni felt his back curve, and his head was slammed into the glass surface of his desk three times. Despite himself, Giovanni felt his eyes well up for a moment at the pain. Two small tears slipped onto the desk; they were soon joined by several drops of blood from his gashed forehead.

"Oh, dear," Leon mocked. "I've made the little boy cry."

Giovanni couldn't find it in himself to try and attack again. And as Leon felt the lack of resistance from his puppet, he knew that he had broken his will at last. So he decided to finish Giovanni off by telling him the truth in the whole matter.

"Just over a year ago," Leon said, "I was a scientist working for Team Galactic."

"That terrorist group from Sinnoh? I thought they were all rounded up and—" Giovanni felt his teeth clamp together, cutting off his words, if not his thoughts.

Leon scowled. "Quite clearly, they were not. I am the last, because I was the only one farsighted enough to think of an escape plan." The sour look disappeared from his face as he continued. "My research helped with a project to refine material, known as Red Chain, into a form that could be used to control Sinnoh's Dragons." He sighed. "A project which, unfortunately, failed. But my team, thinking ahead, had discovered another use for Red Chain fragments." He held up one of his gloves with the palm out towards Giovanni, showing him a large red gem set in the palm. "When they're synchronized correctly with a "parent" piece of the Chain… they can be used to control the mind of any living thing, human and Pokémon alike.

"Unfortunately, almost all of my synchronized material was rendered useless when Galactic fell. All I was able to get away with were these extra Control Gem gloves, and two synchronized fragments." He held up the other hand; between his thumb and forefinger was a tiny piece of translucent red material. Leon wore his sadistic grin again as he added, "I think you can figure out where the other piece is."

In a flash of insight, Giovanni realized how he had been tricked. As one last insult, Leon mentally forced him to look down at the desk, where his palm was facing up. There in the center of Giovanni's left hand was the Red Chain piece. It gazed at him with a bloody stare that seemed to pierce through his eyes into his soul.

"And now," Leon said, "it's time for me to bid you farewell." The Control Gem on his outstretched palm started to glow, bathing the room in a surreal red light. "Don't worry, though," he promised cruelly. "I'll take good care of your shell."

Giovanni's body was forced to be silent, but in the halls of his mind he screamed and cried as his vision grew red and his thoughts dimmed, falling from coherency into vague emotions, and then even further into the workings of animal instinct. Then the screams stopped completely as the red image became all that occupied his mind.

Leon lowered his hand and looked closely at his new puppet for any remaining trace of determination. He found none.

"You will continue to run Team Rocket according to my instructions," Leon ordered. "You will go about your daily life as normal. If asked, you will deny that this meeting ever occurred. Understood?"

"Yes, Leon." Giovanni no longer gave any resistance; these words were his own. His will, the thing in his soul that had pushed him to fight, had been banished if it hadn't been destroyed outright. All that was left was an overwhelming desire to do whatever Leon told him to the best of his ability.

"You will set me up a team of scientists, and you will give me a position at the head of that team. I will answer to no one. This team will be kept under the tightest security and secrecy until I tell you otherwise."

"I understand, Leon. It will be done immediately."

Leon thought for a moment. That would be all he needed for the time being. Eventually further steps would have to be taken, but until further work was done he wouldn't know what to order.

"That will do for my plans, Giovanni. In the short term, I will require the best quarters you can provide." Leon noted the state of his clothes again with disdain and added "And get me something new to wear, as well. I prefer white." He turned away from Giovanni, indicating (as Giovanni himself had done many times before) that the audience was over.

Giovanni nodded, and he stood to order the guards back in. "At once, Leon."

"And one last thing!" Leon demanded, whirling on the spot and pointing vehemently at his slave. "I will not answer to that name. Not ever again."

"Yes, sir. What would you prefer to be called?"

His hand fell, and he was silent for a long moment. He looked at the gem in his palm, the symbol of his chosen path. "I chose my name long ago, when I chose to separate myself from my peers and seek a greater destiny in the ranks of Team Galactic. Though my team has dissolved, I will carry their spirit in my actions and my name as I strive to reach our old goal." He clenched his fist as he continued, "The new world we dreamed of _will _be created from this one: a perfect world without crime, without fear, without tearing emotion. And I will rule over that world with the title I have chosen, a name all will come to know and obey."

And the puppet master raised his head again to glare into his slave's eyes.

"You will call me Quasar."

* * *

**End of Prologue**

**Notes:**

I. HAVE. RETURNED!

Isn't it exciting? I'm done! I finished Basic about a month ago, and since then I've worked on this. It took me longer than I expected, what with outlining, characterization, refining, and what have you. And I admit that I stalled a bit, because I was wavering on whether to do this story now or not, and if so if THIS was definitely the story I wanted to go with. But I eventually came to the conclusion that it was going to nag at me until I finished it, so I'd better go ahead and start on it now. And then I started writing, hit a block, broke through it, and finished most of this in one sitting. I've got ideas for the next chapter, but nothing started yet; I'll probably start on it… uh… tomorrow. Or next weekend. Or sometime this week, if I get bored and have nothing to do. _Whatever!_

Anyway, since I didn't say so at the beginning, welcome! After six months, I've finally decided to start on my next novel, **Infection**, which is the full-length sequel to **Of Creation and Destruction**. Next chapter, we'll start in with the old crowd, beginning with Ash and Misty and working in whomever else decides they want to show up. Probably the big B for sure, then… Lance? Yeah, him too. Pikachu, clearly. Uh… Maybe someone else. It all depends. Anyway, there'll be excitement, and romance, and jokes, and a mission, and probably some soul-searching, plus whatever else I toss in. It's gonna be a blast!

But I'm not quite sure how this is going to go this time. When I started **OCAD**, I had an outline before I even posted chapter one (of course, that outline was moot by the time we hit chapter six, but whatever). This time, I'm winging it at the moment. I've got a pretty good idea of where we're going, but none of it is super-concrete yet. But I DO definitely have chapter one and most of two in stone, so don't worry about that. I'm just saying there might be a bit of delay whilst I figure that out at some point. Hopefully I'll do it one piece at a time, so there won't be one big stop while I do it all at once.

Uh… anyway… I've missed writing! And I've missed my reviewers, so please review so I can see what you think of my latest efforts. Did not writing for two months kill me? Do I suck now? I hope not, but only **you** can let me know! Do so!

Seriously, do it!

Oh, and life update, since you're already here: clearly, I went to basic, defeated it, and now I'm based in Mississippi, where I will eventually start learning my job so they can make me do it somewhere else. Other than that, the only thing that's happened in relevance to this is that my family learned all about this stuff (Hi, Mom!) and they were extremely supportive and, honestly, everything I could have hoped for. I'm so lucky. Xp

But that's it from me this time! I'll see you in two years! Bye!

James, aka FTEcho 4

* * *

P.S.

That's two years in the story, of course. What, you didn't think I'd leave you hanging _that_ long, did you?


	2. Outbreak

**Infection**

_Chapter Two: Outbreak_

* * *

**Population Infected (Kanto): 0.172%**

* * *

"_I'm on the road to Viridian City! Got a badge and—"_

"No."

"_From this higher viewpoint, we can more clearly see the superior hunting methods of the mighty Beedr—"_

"No."

"_But Charles! I love you! How could you betray me for __**her**__? Didn't our time together mean—"_

"Oh, _hell_ no."

"_And down goes Gyarados! The power of that Thunderbolt was just too much for him, and we're down to the last battle: Pikachu versus Dragonite! This is sure to be an all-out brawl!"_

"All right! The Master battle!" Ash Ketchum cheered and threw the remote to the side as he flopped back onto the very cushy couch adorning his new apartment's living room.

"Pi!" His faithful Pikachu, who had been lying on that same couch in a daze before Ash's cheer, scrambled quickly to avoid getting smashed. He turned to Ash with a growl before sauntering off.

Ash gave him a sheepish smile as he left. "Heh. Sorry, buddy. I'm still getting used to the place, too." He scratched his head and looked around in wonder, something he'd done roughly four thousand times over the past five days.

_I have a house._ The thought of having a place of his own was so utterly strange to him, a near-constant traveler since he had been ten years old, that even after almost a week he simply couldn't wrap his brain around it.

Then an explosion from the match he was watching pulled his head out of the clouds, and he was once again at home with himself entrenched in a Pokémon battle.

He quickly became so immersed that he failed to notice when the doorbell started ringing five minutes later. Then he continued to not notice as the sound of the doorbell became increasingly loud knocks on that door.

After trying and failing to open the door himself, Pikachu ran to get Ash. "Pikapi!"

"What is it, Pikachu?" Even now Ash's eyes were glued to the screen as the battle came to its climax.

Already angry for the near miss earlier, Pikachu decided to skip the pleasantries and go straight to his favorite part: shocking a modicum of sense into his trainer.

"Are you hungry_yyyyyyy__**yyyyyyaaaiee!**_" Ash leapt up involuntarily as Pikachu poured enough current to knock out a normal person through his body (Ash had long since developed an astounding resistance to electricity).

"What was that for?" Ash demanded, trying in vain to push down his electrified hair, which was now even blacker and more spiky than usual.

"Pi ka!" Pikachu pointed to his ears.

"Listen to what?" Ash asked. Then his face paled as he finally noticed the thunderous crashes his door was barely holding out against. "…Oh, I'm in trouble."

He sprinted through the small home, sliding to a stop in front of the door. Peering through the peephole, he saw his worst fear: a shock of bright red hair. The rest of the person was out of sight because she was leaning against the door, at this point probably trying to break it down.

Ash threw the door open, hoping against hope that he wouldn't be murdered. This turned out to be exactly the _wrong_ thing to do, as his girlfriend Misty Waterflower fell through the door and ended up sprawled across the carpet, spilling bags of groceries across the floor.

This did not help.

Ash suddenly found himself frozen in inner conflict: did he help her up and try to mitigate her rage, or use this time to get a running head start?

Of course, he ended up helping her up. Love makes people do very stupid things at times.

She gave him a blistering glare, but somehow managed to choke it down as she started picking up fallen boxes. For a moment, Ash just stood there, confused. Where was the pain? Was she making him wait now so that he would suffer more later? Surely she wasn't just going to let it go… was she?

She interrupted his thoughts. "I'm not going to kill you at this moment, because as much as you _deserve_ death…" Another angry look went his way, but this time lingered as she inventoried his state of dress. "You need to go get dressed for a meeting. Now."

"What's going on—"

"_Now._"

Ash ran off.

As he left, he heard her yell, "And make sure you look good, for Arceus' sake! It's important!"

This actually was irrelevant to Ash, because he had exactly three outfits at any given time: lazy day clothes (which he was wearing now, his black T-shirt and shorts), his normal attire (the same black shirt, but with jeans, a varying vest, green fingerless gloves and a hat), and a tuxedo. And since he obviously wasn't good now, and he hadn't heard about any weddings or ballroom dances in the next hour…

As he threw on his regular jeans, Ash dared to ask, "So what's the meeting about?"

Apparently she had cooled off a bit, because she actually answered this time. "No idea, to be honest. But I got a call while I was shopping from Lance, and he said he needed to see the two of us as soon as possible."

"_Both_ of us?" Ash wasn't surprised to be called, really: he'd been meeting Lance on and off all week. It came with his new territory. But he'd never called for Misty as well (although she was always there anyway).

"Yeah. Surprised me too. I thought…" she stopped talking as she walked by the TV. "Holy hell, Ash! How many times do you need to see this match? I would have thought _being_ there would cut it for you! Must you really watch yourself beat Lance five times a day?"

"You're just a sore loser," Ash quipped back.

"I've always still got time to hurt you, you know…" Misty warned. That effectively shut him up.

_If only my fans could see me now,_ Ash thought. _And Misty's for that matter. Although I'm betting __**they**__'d find it a lot funnier, even if our behavior is totally out of our… uh… stations._

That was a strange thought, too. Ash hadn't realized it before his last match a few days prior, but he had gathered quite the base in his last three years of training, and although Misty had always had some fans from her time when she was known across the world as the number one Gym Leader, that number had certainly skyrocketed since she had won at the Plateau…

Three years, and three leagues. They had both been rising stars… and apparently, people had noticed.

In Johto, Ash had done okay. (People would say he was amazing for his first conference ever, whereas most first-timers failed the preliminaries, but he was dissatisfied with anything less than total victory.) He had made the Top 8 in the Silver League, although that was a bitter placement considering the utter thrashing he'd received from his final opponent.

For his next bout, he moved on to more familiar territory with the Sinnoh League. And something had clicked in that attempt, because Ash had seen everything; he blasted into the finals, and after a tough match found himself with the title of Champion… but not yet that of Master. Because Sinnoh's Elite Four proved to be far more than a match for the still-growing trainer, and the Ground Master Bertha, second of the four, took him down.

Exhilarated by his Championship victory and hopeful that his next attempt might prove to be his last, he tried his hand once again at his first adventure, the challenge he'd taken in his childhood: his home region of Kanto. And it was there that he suddenly realized how very far he had come.

Gyms that had confounded and thwarted him on his previous attempts were suddenly cakewalks. Trainers he had met more than eight years before wanted rematches to measure each other's progress, and even with a six year hiatus working against him, again and again Ash found himself victorious. He tried to keep a straight face, keep his pride down, and let the credit fall partially to his partner and 'coach' Misty as much as he could. (Not that he always _succeeded_… but at least he tried.) But that became a lot harder when she left.

Halfway through Ash's Kanto run, what Misty had waited for, and indeed what many trainers her caliber had waited for, finally happened: Agatha, Ghost Master of Kanto's Elite, retired. And that meant that the Elite Four had a slot to fill. And _that_ meant that for the first time in nearly a decade, the League was holding tryouts.

Hopeful competitors swarmed the Indigo Plateau, capital of the League, by the hundreds. Misty was among them, Ash having put his personal quest on hold so he could support her through her own attempt to attain her long-awaited dream.

As was tradition, Agatha herself chose thirty-two out of the many trainers who had come, based on their backgrounds and a cursory display of their skills. And no one was surprised when Misty was on the list: even without the public recognition of being a gym leader, rumors were spreading from the rare trainers she had thrashed along her journey with Ash, not to mention the people who had witnessed the two of them battling each other. People _knew_ her. Many had expected her to be there, the gathered Elite Four included; apparently a certain Mr. Francis Tuttle was still loudly bemoaning the Kanto League's loss of its finest leader in years to anyone who stayed in earshot long enough to listen.

The thirty-two combatants were set up in a single-elimination tournament much like a League Championship, albeit with much higher stakes: whereas League competitors were fighting for the mere chance to become a Master, the winner of this tournament was guaranteed the spot in the Elite. Needless to say, the competition was as fierce as they come.

And to make a long story short, Misty struggled through the ranks and won it all.

But she found her dream wasn't perfect after all: as the new Water Master and member of the Elite Four, she could hardly keep travelling with Ash as he competed in the Kanto League. In addition, she had new duties while she was settling in at the Plateau that she had to attend to. Though they both loathed the very thought, Ash and Misty both knew that for a time they would have to be apart.

They kept in touch, of course, with phone calls and visits and text messaging and all the other ways people have found to keep close to the people they care about even when they're far away. But it was then that Ash discovered two things: first, that Misty really _had_ made him better: there was an immediate decline in his skill level when she departed. Whether that was because he had lost his best sparring partner or because he was used to the emotional support, he didn't know, but training and battling were definitely more difficult on his own.

The second realization was that even when he wasn't at his best, he was still far better than any trainer he met.

Two months after Misty left, Ash got his eighth badge from Viridian City, once again the top-rated gym in the region. Most trainers, even most _good_ trainers, walked away from there empty-handed. So after he travelled there and dominated the Fighting genius Bruno, he knew he was as ready for the League challenge as he was ever going to be.

In order to keep closer to Misty and give himself a place to train, Ash spent the month between his last badge and the Championship in a small apartment at the Indigo Plateau, working his heart out in preparation.

The Championship was a farce. Ash won by such stupidly wide margins that his semifinal round opponent _forfeited the match_ rather than risk being utterly humiliated in front of everyone he knew. His final opponent didn't fare much better, although she at least had the skill to defeat his opening Pokémon Pikachu… at the cost of four of her own.

No one was surprised at his victory. He was quite simply too good for the competition, in a tier that the Gyms couldn't measure anymore. Whereas his opponents had only passed the tests to get in, Ash had aced them all without breaking a sweat. He had truly come into his own. And over the next few days, he proved it.

Most of the Elite Four went down fairly easily for Ash. He made sure to focus on the big picture rather than the short-term, rotating through all of his Pokémon in the first two matches with Psychic Master Will and Ice Master Lorelei to keep them fresh, and so he came out ahead of the game with only one Pokémon (his Charizard) lost by the time he got to the third Elite. Then… well… that was the toughest battle of all.

Because the third battle was against Water Master Misty Waterflower.

The world knew they were together. Ever since Misty had taken her position, she'd been the subject of stories in gossip rags across the country. In the beginning they had jumped for any story they could find, pairing her with celebrities, trainers, cousins, and whoever else tickled their fancy that day, but eventually they hit on the right person. That was partially because Misty, sick of the lies spreading around, came out and gave a formal interview on the subject during which she pointedly made out with said person; once the news was confirmed, it stopped being newsworthy.

Knowing this, everyone who had access to anything with a screen was poring over their match. It was dramatic! It was astounding!

It was the hardest battle either of them ever fought.

Ash… well, he had a lot riding on his victory. Advancement, and a near-sure shot at Lance for the title. Beating Misty in front of an audience would sting her pride a bit, but he'd beat her before and he would do it again. For him, the challenge was that she would be fighting her best, and above all the other Elites, she knew how he fought. If there was anyone who knew exactly how to beat Ash Ketchum, it was her, and that meant he would have to be original and spontaneous while still keeping his same skills intact: no easy feat.

For Misty, the hardest part was fighting her best at all. She was faced with the horrible instance of having to fight her best while knowing that actually winning would basically crush Ash's dream _and_ keep them apart for even longer. And who knew where he would go next? He had spoken of trying Hoenn (he would have tried it this time, if not for the fact that he would prefer to not knock that region's Master off of his post), and that was far away. Or there was Unova, the Pokémon League's newest associated region, and that was halfway across the world! Defeating him would make their lives hell… but with the whole world watching, she had to do her best; it was demanded of her position.

But once they got into the battle, neither of them thought of any of that. They found solace and protection in all the old matches they'd fought, and somehow they were both able to treat it as it was: a battle between friends, just like any other. Without the past and the future in their heads, they could both truly fight as themselves, and in the midst of things they both laughed and smiled and threw quips at each other just like any other day.

Of course, it was a lot easier for both of them to keep laughing that way after Ash won.

He went on to defeat Karen's Dark types, and then narrowly beat Lance's Dragons, and that was that. The long-lived dream came true at last, and on a sunny midsummer's day, Kanto crowned a new League Master in Ash Ketchum.

Lance didn't just pack up and leave, though; he was still the senior League Master on the planet, even if he had been dethroned, and his work for the Pokémon League was far too important to simply pass on to whoever defeated him. So it was him (and to a lesser extent Misty) who guided Ash through his new position. For that he had been meeting with Lance all week, learning about the mundane things: pay, housing, travel allowances, required appearances, and the like. But he had thought Lance had covered everything…

_Guess he must have forgotten something, _Ash mused as he looked himself over.

Ash turned away from the mirror to give his partner a chance to look him over.

"How do I look, Pikachu?"

"Pi…" Pikachu tilted his head. "Pichu chupika?"

Ash looked at himself again, considered it, and then decided to hell with it, he was wearing the same thing he wore every day. "Hey, if it ain't broke…"

"Are you ready to go?" Misty poked her head into his room. "We've got to get going and why are you wearing that now?"

"_Because_ it's the same thing I've worn every time I've seen him, ever," Ash answered. "At this point I'm calling it tradition, and that means I can't break it without good reason."

Misty groaned in exasperation. "There are so many things wrong with that argument that I can't _begin_ to cover them all before we need to leave. But we're short on time, so it'll have to do. Come on!" Her head disappeared from the doorway.

"You heard the lady, Pikachu." Ash held out his arm so the Pokémon could jump on his shoulder, and they walked out together to meet Misty at the door.

She opened it for them, but as he passed she said, "For future reference, dumbash, you don't show up to Lance's office like… _that_. It's disrespectful."

"Hey, I beat him, didn't I?" Ash argued back. "I'm pretty sure that means I can wear a clown suit to meet him if I want. Because I won, and am therefore the greatest and above all rules." He moved aside so she could follow him out, then locked the door behind her.

Misty sighed and glanced at him as she walked by. "No. That is not how it works. Not even close." With a shake of her head, she added, "When you've been a Master for twenty years _and_ led the League for ten like Lance has, you can do whatever the hell you want. Until then, you've got to be respectful!"

They walked down a short hall to the elevator that serviced this very special floor, the Master's Quarters. It wasn't used much; they were usually unoccupied, as most of the owners quickly earned enough cash to buy a better house of their own, but the place was always available just in case.

Ash called the elevator up. "I just don't see the point in it all. He doesn't seem to mind what I wear. And it's not like I'm calling him an idiot to his face or anything, I just don't want to dress up for him."

Misty laughed. "And you think I do? I _hate_ wearing this."

"Really?" Ash turned around and leaned against the wall, his eyes travelling lightly along her attire, a white and blue set that hugged her frame in all the right spots. "Because if I looked as good as you do now…" He shrugged and flashed a smile. "I really don't think I would mind."

Despite herself, even after hearing words in the same vein for years, Misty couldn't suppress a small smile and the lightest of blushes. Luckily, she was saved from having to think of some way to reply as the elevator arrived with a quiet _ding!_

"Come on, loverboy," Misty said, kissing his cheek as she walked past him again.

And as usual, Ash sported a bright grin as he followed her in.

* * *

"You wanted to see us, sir?"

Lance stood as Misty entered his office, closely followed by Ash and Pikachu. "Master Waterflower… and you brought Master Ketchum as well. Excellent."

Ash and Misty spoke over each other as each insisted, once again, that Lance forgo their new titles.

He held up a hand. "As you wish, then. Ash, Misty, please be seated. We have much to discuss."

"Yes, sir," Misty acquiesced. There were two soft chairs in front of Lance's desk, and they each took one. Lance remained standing. For a moment, he turned away from them, running a hand through his carrot-red hair. They noticed quickly that he was, for some reason, dressed in his usual (if strange) battle clothes—a full red and black patterned jumpsuit with a black cape. This was unusual: the only time they'd seen him in that outfit was when he was about to battle or oversee a ceremony.

For a moment, he started to speak, but then he stopped for long enough to go around and close the door behind his guests before turning back to the pair. "You've both been here for a little while, and so I think nothing will be hurt by introducing you to one of the League's responsibilities, one which I doubt the two of you are familiar with."

"Which is?" Ash asked.

"Missions, in essence," Lance replied. "From time to time, there are issues in Kanto that the police are ill-equipped to remedy. And if they can't find another solution, many times they will come to us for assistance. In these instances, one or more Masters will be sent to investigate or fix the situation."

Misty was intrigued by the thought. "And you have missions for us?"

"I have a task for you, yes." Lance looked a bit uneasy. "It's actually abnormal to give out this sort of job to Masters as new as you two, especially you, Master Ket… Ash. But I asked one of the others to form a team, and he did insist on the two of you. And since it's not too serious a job, and I really have no reason to keep either of you here, I decided to allow it."

Ash nodded. "So we're working with someone else?"

"Yes, another Master. He's relatively new, but still senior to both of you, so I trust you'll show him the respect he deserves."

Misty answered for both of them. "Absolutely, sir." Ash looked like he had a rebuttal to that, but a sharp glance from Misty stayed his tongue.

"Good," Lance said. "Now all that remains is to explain what you need to do."

Ash, Misty, and even Pikachu all subconsciously leaned in; for some reason, the whole business had an air of secrecy and romanticism that was lost on none of them.

"Lavender Town has been…" Lance hesitated as he searched for the correct word. "…odd."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked.

"The police have been receiving reports of people acting strangely for the past few weeks. The curious thing is that no one can quite pin down _what_ is strange about the people they're reporting… just that they are acting strangely. A few have cited changes in personality or behavior, a couple have reported that their friends or loved ones are disappearing for long periods with no explanation, and… basically, it's just a mess of suspicion with no concrete evidence."

"With all due respect, sir, this sounds like a job for the police," Ash replied. "I'd guess that people are just being paranoid."

"Exactly why we _don't_ want to send in a police force to investigate," Lance explained. "To be honest, I agree for the most part, even if some things don't quite fit: for example, the crime rate has changed drastically."

"How high is it?" Misty asked.

Lance shook his head. "Exactly the opposite. The crime rate has actually _dropped_ to near zero; it's probably the most suspicious thing of all. It seems a near constant factor in life, and it's one of the things you always, always expect to see; as much as we wish it would, it shouldn't just _stop_. And another thing: there have been a few investigations, but more and more the police found that the people who gave the initial report ended up denying anything had happened, sometimes even denying that they'd filed a report in the first place. It's not much to go off of, but it's enough that we can't just wave it away. But if it _is_ paranoia, sending in a full investigative task force will only exacerbate the problem. So our happy medium is sending in a few of our people, in plain clothes, just to make a quick survey of the situation over a few days. And unless you find something obvious, at that point we're going to close the books on the whole mess."

Ash and Misty looked at each other. Ash shrugged, and said "Could be fun."

"It'll take some effort to get our lives in order on such short notice, but I think we can manage enough to make it," Misty agreed. She turned back to Lance. "So… what do we get out of this?"

Lance waved a hand carelessly. "Oh, you'll be paid well for your services, believe me. Assuming that the reward of helping your fellow man isn't enough?" He raised an eyebrow at the pair.

At this, not even Misty could resist glowering at Lance. After all, they _had_ saved the entire region of Sinnoh from a black hole only a few years back. (Of course, their motives in that hadn't been entirely selfless, but still! That was several million of their fellow men saved right there!)

"So," Ash queried, "Just who is this mysterious Master we'll be working with?"

Lance appeared surprised at the question. "You mean you don't know? Honestly, when I said that he'd asked for you specifically, I would have thought you'd have figured it out. In any case, he should be here already, so it wouldn't surprise me if—" And at that very moment, a knock came at the door.

"Speak of the devil!" Lance said with a smile. He raised his voice to address the newcomer. "Come in, sir! Your team is waiting for you."

The door opened, and a man walked through. He was clearly going for "nondescript" in his attire, as he usually did when he was off the battlefield: plain jeans, black jacket over blank white shirt, and tennis shoes. The only unusual thing on him was on his belt: instead of wearing Pokéballs on it (those he kept under his jacket), it was used to hold a thin black blade at his side.

"Sorry I'm late, Lance. I was… held up at home."

"Natalia?" Lance suggested.

"Natalia," he confirmed.

Misty and Ash stood up to welcome the Master, who was (obviously) none other than their friend Brian Edwards, former assistant at Cerulean Gym and current League Master of Hoenn.

"I should have known it was you!" Misty exclaimed. "I just didn't think he'd ask someone from another region…"

Brian laughed. "Well, I may work out of Hoenn, but the League is well aware that I make my home in Saffron these days. And, of course, I was at the Plateau a few days ago." Brian held out a hand to Ash. "Congratulations, by the way. I knew you could do it."

"Thanks!" Ash said, accepting his handshake. As they released, he added, "But why didn't you stop by if you were there?"

"Well, two reasons. One, Lance took all the time I had asking me if I would take this mission for him, which kept me away from you and busy. I'm guessing he didn't want to ask his own people to fly off so soon after the change of Masters?" Lance gave a nod of agreement with this. "And two, I had a… prior engagement, which was rather pressing." He spun something on his hand as he said that, something that went unnoticed by everyone except Misty.

"But enough of that!" Brian exclaimed. He looked to Lance. "I trust you've filled them in on the situation?"

Lance nodded. "All the background details, at least. The rest I leave to you. It is your mission, after all."

"Perfect, thanks. Well, then, come on, you two."

"Pika!"

He chuckled. "Okay, fine. Come on, you _three_. Happy now?"

"Cha!" Pikachu jumped to his usual spot on Ash's shoulder, and the four of them walked out of Lance's office, Brian closing the door behind them.

"Well, then," Brian began, turning around. "I assume he was all—"

"Brian, just shut up a minute and say hello already!" Misty cut him off with a quick hug, and similarly Pikachu jumped at him for a moment to say hello before returning to Ash.

"Okay, okay!" Brian answered, laughing and returning the favors. "It's good to see everyone again."

"You too," Ash said. "It's been way too long!"

"Well…" Brian thought back. "Not _that_ long. When was it… I think four months ago that you came through Saffron?"

"Four months is too long," Misty said. "Especially considering all that's happened since then."

"I know what you mean; all that's changed makes it feel like longer." Brian looked back and forth between the two. "Last time I saw you, you were just two top-notch trainers looking for trouble. Now you're both recognized by the whole world as the best of the best."

Ash and Misty both smiled sheepishly. "I guess so," Ash agreed.

"Um, hey." Misty waved her hand to grab everyone's attention. "Nice as it is to just talk, we're kind of in a bad place for it."

They looked around a moment: they were still standing outside Lance's office, blocking off traffic through the hall outside it.

"Excellent point; we should relocate." Brian began to walk away, throwing over his shoulder the question, "You guys like coffee?"

"More or less," Misty replied. "As long as it has lots and lots of sugar."

Ash nodded. "Ditto for me."

"Perfect. I know just the place. Come along!"

Ash and Misty glanced at each other, shared a shrug, and hurried after him.

* * *

"…You... are… idiot," Misty panted.

"Make… me… look… genius," Ash agreed, slipping over half the words in his exhaustion.

"Pi… pi… kaaa…" Pikachu didn't even try to make sense; he lay on the concrete in a near-faint.

"Okay… maybe," Brian acquiesced, trying his best to speak clearly with aching lungs. "Sorry, but the buzz around me… has settled down. I forgot how it was… in the beginning."

Coffee had fallen through. As soon as the trio had come through the door of the small coffee shop Brian had led them to, Ash and Misty were swarmed by the inhabitants to the point that they'd been forced to flee. After a few minutes of sprinting, they had just been able to get away by ducking into an alley out of sight.

"That's hardly an excuse," Misty coughed out. "You're one of the only… people who _knows_ how it is for us."

"At least we found shade!" Brian's attempts to defend himself won only harsh glares.

"It is way too hot to be… running around dodging fans." Doubled over and still trying to catch his breath, Ash pointed at his accidental malefactor. "You… suck."

"You're right, I'm sorry," Brian apologized. "Leading you to a crowded coffee shop was a terrible idea. So…" He sat down and wiped his forehead. "We might as well talk while we rest. At least until the crowd has stopped trying to track you two down."

Ash and Misty quickly joined him in plopping down on the concrete, their backs together against one building while Brian leaned against the other side.

"So…" Brian began. "How're the lives of Masters treating you?"

"Other than the crowds…" Here Misty glowered at him again. "It's been really good, except for when I was stuck here while Ash got to keep travelling."

"Hey, that sucked for me too," Ash pointed out. "You have no idea how hard it was to keep doing my best when you weren't there."

"Oh, poor baby," Misty mocked. "I'm so sorry you had to go on adventures while I stayed here and filled out paperwork and got interviewed for most of a freaking _month_."

"Was it really that bad?" Brian asked. "Because I only spent a few days in Hoenn before I was free to leave."

Ash nodded. "It was the same for me."

"Yeah, but you two weren't Elites. We're different." Misty started ticking off points on her fingers. "For starters, League Master is usually a temporary position, even if the title isn't. There's not as much you have to do except show up and fight every year until you're defeated. Of course, some Masters do more than that; just look at Lance. But all Elites are appointed for life: we have to be kicked out or resign. And you don't have any prerequisites to the position other than competing in and winning the Pokémon League, whereas we have dozens of them that have to be documented before we take our spot. _And _since I had to finish everything before the Championship, I didn't have a whole lot of time."

"Sounds like running Cerulean Gym all over again." Covering his eyes with a groan, Brian continued "Oh, I'm so glad I don't ever have to compile battle stats again. I'd die."

For a moment, Misty stared at his hands, looking at something she had thought she'd seen earlier, but hadn't believed. Then she shot off the ground in shock. "Brian! Why haven't you told us yet?" she demanded.

He flushed. "About… what, exactly? My first title match on the defending side of Master a while back? I didn't think to say anything. I'd kind of figured you'd be watching it, and it was a bit of a curb stomp battle anyway. I probably won't defend it again for a while, either…"

Misty rolled her eyes. "I wasn't talking about your title, who _cares_ about your title?" She pounced across the alley to grab his left hand before he had time to react, and she held it up triumphantly. Ash and Pikachu now saw what she had seen: Brian was sporting a new ring.

"Hey, that's mine!" Brian twisted his arm out of her grasp and hid it under his jacket for a moment. Then, seeing the looks on his friends' faces, he sighed and took it back out, displaying it for all to see. On the fourth finger was a small silver ring with a single onyx stone set in the center.

Ash and Pikachu jumped up to look with Misty. "Why are you wearing…?" He trailed off as it dawned on him. "No way."

"Pi cha chukka Pichupi?" Pikachu exclaimed.

Brian released another long sigh, then grinned. "I guess I should have known better. Natty wanted it to be a secret until we could tell you together, but I couldn't help wearing it, and there's no point denying it now." He stared at the black stone for a minute before suddenly smiling up at them and exclaiming "We… I… I'm getting married!"

Ash appeared stunned. "You're… engaged?"

"Brian, that's amazing!" Misty couldn't help but squeal with delight. "How did it happen? And when?"

"It's just been a few days," he confided. "After Ash's last match, when I left… I _said_ it was a pressing engagement. I met Natalia that evening at the cape north of Cerulean."

"You did?" Misty's nose crinkled. "That's a little cliché, don't you think?"

Brian shrugged. "It was her idea, not mine. But, well, I'd thought about it a lot, and I'd been carrying a ring for a couple of weeks. That seemed like the perfect place to ask. It's where we met, and everything, and I figured if we were all alone on the cape, there'd be no pressure, y'know?"

"So how did you… you know… what did you say?" Ash asked in a curiously small voice.

"Yeah, about that," he laughed. "Um… I didn't actually get to propose."

Misty's eyes grew huge. "No… _she_ did it?"

"I was going to, I swear!" Brian exclaimed. "I really, really wanted to, but apparently she had the same idea. And, honestly, has Natty _ever_ cared about tradition?"

All four of them unanimously agreed "No."

"I guess she'd thought about it just as much as me, but when it came down to it, she was a little quicker on the draw. It was beautiful…" His eyes sparkled and became distant as he saw the scene in his mind. "We'd played the day away, had an honest-to-Mew picnic, and we were laying on a blanket under the stars alone. She was talking wanting to spend the rest of our lives together, and all that. I know it's hard to see for you guys, but behind closed doors she's really, _really_ romantic, and she knows how to turn a phrase… honestly, I thought she was trying to set **me** up to propose. And then she got up for a second… and then she got down on one knee."

Ash, Misty and Pikachu all sat cross-legged around him, utterly enraptured. "What did she say?" Ash asked in wonder.

"I'll never forget it," Brian promised. He closed his eyes. "She told me 'Brian… I know this probably seems kind of weird to you, and I know it's not how this usually goes, but I don't care. I know without a doubt that I want to spend however long we have in this world with you, loving you. I want to be yours forever, and I want you to be mine just as long, and I don't want to wait another day when I can _do _something, ask one question, and make it true. So please, Brian… will you marry me?'"

"What did you do?" Misty asked.

"What do you think I did?" Brian replied with a smile.

Pikachu quickly replied "Pi ka pik!"

Brian thought a moment. "Ah, actually, no. I didn't say yes _exactly_. I stood up, and reached in my pocket." Brian actually did stand, miming the acts as he said them. "Then _I_ knelt… and I counter-proposed:

"'Love, you've stolen my thunder. Here I was, thinking you were setting me up, and then you go and smash all my expectations to dust. But that spark you have, the way you can't be tied down by anything, least of all what others expect from you, is just one of the infinite reasons I've found to love you. I can't possibly list them all, I can hardly remember them all half the time, but for you I would spend my whole life trying and count not one minute of it wasted. And I… I… I love you. I don't know what else to say. And since you've already asked the question I would have liked to ask you, all there is to say is my answer: yes, love. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. I will.'

"And then she tackled me. And we laughed and kissed and spun together under the stars, both of us trying to get the other's ring on first until eventually we decided to put them on together." As he finished, Brian sat back down and faced his audience.

"That's so beautiful," Misty sighed. "Corny, maybe, but beautiful."

"How could anyone top that?" Ash mumbled.

"I don't know," Brian replied. "I can't imagine a better moment. And ever since, I feel… I feel…" He shook his head. "I don't know how to describe it. I guess you'll just have to find out for yourselves."

"Ah…" Ash and Misty glanced at each other for a moment, then both quickly turned away.

Seeing this, Brian decided it was time to change subjects. "But enough of that! In all our prattling of marriage and whatnot, we've forgotten our mission!"

"Oh, yeah!" Ash exclaimed. "What do you think about it?"

"Oh, the same thing I'm sure you do," Brian said flippantly. "One person talked to the police about something that really _did_ seem weird, then somebody found out and got paranoid, and the cycle repeated until now it looks like a crisis."

"But the crime rate? The people denying anything happened?" Misty argued.

"The denials, I would say, are the people realizing that they've fooled themselves and wanting to keep their good names intact. As for the dropping crime rate…"He shrugged. "Honestly, I have no explanation. It's the only thing that's keeping me interested in the job. If I had to guess something, I'd say that paranoia is keeping people cooped up, even the crooks, but there are far, far too many holes in that rationalization for me to accept it at face value."

"So what's the plan?" Ash looked pointedly at him. "Lance put you in charge."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Brian waved his hands. "I'm not doing that! I mean, yes, he did, but that's part of why I picked you two! Do you really think I want to be the leader?" Brian laughed. "No! And I know that we three can operate as a team without having one of us be in control. I refuse to act as your superior, or anyone's superior for that matter; that's not what I signed up for when I decided to become a Master. I'll be a mentor, a teacher, a role model, whatever, but not a leader. So this is my way out of that."

Another thought came to Misty. "What's the rest of the reason you picked us?"

"Because I think this mission will take about an hour and fifteen minutes and he's given us three days to complete it. The way I see it, that gives us two days, twenty-two hours and forty-five minutes to reminisce-slash-party."

Ash and Misty stared at him for a moment. There was a flash of light in the alley as Pikachu sparked, sensing his trainer's building fury. "And… you didn't think we might like a choice in that kind of decision?" Misty demanded. "Or that maybe we have lives of our _own_ that we're still just getting used to?"

Brian seemed surprised. "You mean you guys don't… Uh…" He bit his lip. "I made a mistake, didn't I?"

"Wait." Ash put a hand on Misty's arm, trying to defuse her coming rage, and she looked at him instead of exploding. "He's stupid, yeah, but he was trying to be a good friend. I think just this once… maybe let it slide."

"I… But…" Misty looked back and forth between them. Then she sighed. "Fine. Just this once. But only on two conditions!"

"Which are?" Brian said uneasily.

"One, you never, ever, _ever_ do this again without asking us first." She cooled down somewhat as she added "It's not that we don't want to go. It's that now is just a terrible time, and coming from you we would have expected you to ask us first for something this unimportant. You're ripping us out of our lives, and even if Lance gave you the authority, _you_ still made the call. That's not cool."

"I'm…" Brian hung his head in shame. "I didn't think of it that way. I'm sorry, guys. I mean, if you don't want to go, I can probably tell him and get different people…"

"No, it's not that we don't _want _to," Ash corrected. "It's that we don't like you telling us to go rather than asking. We're still going. Right?" He looked to Misty for confirmation.

"Right," she agreed. "But to be sure you learn, the second condition is… Pikachu, Thundershock."

Sparking once more in anticipation, Pikachu grinned. "Pi… ka…"

"Wha—aaa**aaaa**_**aaaAAAAOWWWTHATHURTS!**_" The alley lit up once more, this time as Pikachu gave Brian a powerful jolt.

"Now, have you learned?" Misty asked, her voice dripping with false sweetness.

"Don't make your decisions for you," Brian groaned from the cement.

"Very good," Misty said. "Now, we've got to get ready if we're going to be gone for three days, so we'll meet you at the Pokémon Center in three hours. Good?"

"Great," Brian agreed weakly. He waved as they started away.

"See you then!" Ash said.

"Pi ka!" Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder as they walked.

"See ya… Keep out of the crowds now… And make sure you pack all you need, just in case…

"I'm talking to myself, aren't I…"

* * *

Three and a half hours later, Ash, Misty, Brian, and Pikachu rejoined at their meeting place, outside of the Pokémon Center right by the League HQ. The three people carried backpacks, each one carrying food, clothing, and supplies for three days. They didn't expect to need them since they planned to be in a town for those days, but hard times and travel had taught them all to be prepared for anything, as well as how to make a little stuff go a long way.

"Glad to see you've made it," Brian said. "So you're ready?"

"Homes are locked down and ready," Ash confirmed.

"We've got things setup for about three months of travel right now," Misty added.

Brian eyed her strangely. "Months? Doesn't that seem a bit excessive?"

"For today, yeah," she conceded. "But I wanted to see how long we could set things up without coming back here. Neither of us plans to live here right now, you know. We're both still travelers at heart."

Ash nodded. "Maybe someday we'll settle, but for now? We live on the road. Being Masters just means we'll have to come back to the Plateau every once in a while."

"I know how it is," Brian agreed. "Even if I've found a place to hang my hat, I still remember the travelling days. If not for Brock offering Natty the breeding center in Saffron, I might still live that life as well."

"How is she doing, by the way?" Misty asked.

Brian shrugged. "As good as ever. She's mellowed a bit, I think, since the last time you've seen her. Running a business takes a bit of the fun out of life, even if it is her dream job. But even so she's still absolutely insane. Just a bit more manageable now."

"That can only be an improvement," Ash commented.

"Cha!" Pikachu disagreed: he had liked the old Natty.

"But there'll be time to talk about things tonight," Brian interrupted. "We've got to get on the road… or the sky, at least. Whatever. Anyway, just in case, what Pokémon do you two have right now?"

"Gyarados, Starmie, Seadra, Corsola, Psyduck, and Dewgong," Misty rattled off.

"And I've got Charizard, Floatzel, Donphan, Glalie, Meganium, and of course…"

"Pika chu!" Pikachu completed happily.

Brian chuckled once before giving his own team. "As for me, I have the usual crowd: Slifer the Dragonite, Komodo the Charizard, Gengar, Steelix, Roserade, and Espeon. Your Charizard can support the two of you—"

"Pi!"

Brian groaned. "Three, _three,_ holy hell, just let it go for once. Can he carry all of you?"

"He always seems to manage," Misty said. "He's taken us a lot farther than from here to Lavender Town before."

"I remember," Ash grumbled, muttering something about the worst twelve hours of his life.

"Good," Brian said. "Well then, Pokémon out!"

There were two pops and twin roars as Brian released Slifer and Ash released his Charizard. The groups clambered into their normal positions.

Brian signaled to his friends. "Lead on! To Lavender Town!"

On Charizard's back, Ash, Misty and Pikachu took to the skies, with Brian following on Slifer a moment later.

It took a few hours to travel all the way across Kanto to Lavender Town; long, boring hours. The wind was too strong to speak without yelling, and so speech fell by the wayside. In the end, Misty ended up falling asleep, her arms wrapped firmly around her boyfriend and her head laying on his shoulder. Ash found himself so comfortable that he wanted to fall asleep as well, but he fought the urge and stayed awake. After all, _somebody_ had to keep them from falling off.

Brian spent the entire flight giving himself battle situations and solving them. Not so much that he thought he needed the practice; mostly just so that he had something to focus on other than being jealous of Ash for having his love right there with him. It was hardest over Saffron, when he took a very longing look down at where he knew Natalia had to be, but he kept it stowed away quite admirably.

There was very little activity on the ground when they landed in the middle of Lavender Town, right in front of the Center. Admittedly it was mid-afternoon in Kanto's second-smallest town, but even so, it almost seemed a ghost town.

As they landed, Brian quickly dismounted and ordered Slifer to return. He heard Ash give a similar order to Charizard, and out of the corner of his eye saw Pikachu climb back on his shoulder.

"Okay, then…" Brian turned to Ash and Misty, and then he stopped talking for a moment.

"Ash, what are you doing?"

"Landing?" Ash replied hopefully.

"Uh huh. And… why is Misty asleep in your arms?"

"Because I didn't want to wake her up?"

Brian leveled a hard look at him.

"Oh, just look at her!" Ash exclaimed, although he was sure to keep his voice down. "How could you want to wake her up when she looks like this?"

He had to admit… it was a pretty damn cute scene, Ash cradling Misty bridal style with her head tucked into his shoulder. But it was also slowing them down.

"Okay, fine," Brian sighed. "Carry her until she wakes up on her own, then. My idea was for us to split up into two groups, anyway. We can both just go talk to people and get a grasp on the situation. You take Misty, and I'll head off alone. We meet back here in an hour. Sound good to you?"

"That's fine," Ash agreed absentmindedly, his attention still focused on the girl he was holding.

"Oh, for the love of Din, just go make out with her already, see if I care." Brian marched off in a huff.

"Hey, I'll get it done!" Ash quietly called after him. After a moment, he added "The surveying, I mean, not the making out part!"

Scanning around the area, Ash spotted a young man standing alone outside an alley. _Perfect,_ he thought, and started toward him.

* * *

"Hello," Brian said.

The shop owner barely looked up at him. For an instant, Brian saw his eyes go wide, but then he seemed to calm down. "Hello. Can I help you?" the old man asked.

"Can I ask you a couple of questions about some things I've heard about lately?"

"You can, but I may not have all your answers," the man joked.

"Hmm… that's fine," Brian said. "I've heard there've been some strange happenings reported here lately. People missing, people acting funny. Would you know about any of that?"

"Oh… no!" The old man protested. "No, not at all." His eyes shifted to the only other occupant of the store, a short boy of about sixteen. "Stephen, could you check the inventory in the back real quick? I think we may need to order a few Antidotes, but I need you to check the high shelves."

"Sure thing, boss," Stephen replied. He very quickly dropped what he was doing and moved through the store. The old man waited patiently for him to go, and then waited a few seconds more after the black door had shut behind him.

Then, in an instant, his face seemed to transform. Utter fear danced naked through his eyes and his voice shook as he spoke. "I'm sorry to deceive you, but it's not safe here. You're from the League, aren't you?"

Brian was taken aback and somewhat disturbed by the sudden shift in mood. "Yes, I am, but what do you—?"

"Leave. Leave now!" the old man urged. "Something isn't right around here. People disappearing for days. People talking different than they used to. I don't know what it is… but it's spreading. I think it got Stephen a few days ago, and I'm afraid it's coming…"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down!" Brian tried to process all this. "What is spreading?"

"The strangeness, the virus, I don't know!" A noise came from the back room and the shopkeep glanced that way in terror before continuing. "But whatever it is, it isn't good. And I'm afraid if they find out you're here, it'll get you too. So go! Get away quickly, and spread the word! Tell them we—"

But what the man wanted Brian to tell them he never found out, because at that moment the back door opened.

"There are two months worth of Antidotes back there," Stephen said disdainfully. "All on the bottom shelves."

"Oh yes, thank you!" The shop keeper had his old, cheery face back on. "I'm sorry, son, but I don't have any Dark Balls right now. Maybe you could try Celadon?"

"Um…" Totally confused, Brian decided he wasn't going to get anything else. "Yeah. I guess so. Sorry to bother you?"

"Oh, no trouble! If you need anything else, just come on back!"

Brian walked quickly out of the store, completely unsure what had just happened.

_Two options: either he's a crazy old man feeding off the town's paranoia… or he's right. Maybe not about everything, but some things. And yet I still have no proof…_ _maybe I should try the Center. Maybe a trainer passing through can give me some insight on the situation._

He started back that way.

* * *

"No, nothing strange is happening," the woman repeated. "Life goes on as normal here. Perhaps you would like to join our community?"

"Uh…" Ash didn't quite know how to answer that. "No thanks. I've just got a new place a few days ago."

"Oh, but I'm quite sure you and your little girlfriend would _love_ it here."

"Maybe later. Well… thanks anyway!"

_Note to self: people standing in alleyways are sometimes insane and creepy. Don't talk to them._

"Huh… wha?"

"Misty!" Ash felt her lift her head off his shoulder, and she shuddered as she yawned.

"Where… we're here already?"

Ash laughed. "We've been here for twenty minutes! Hell, Myst, you already missed the first two people!"

"Oh, did I?" Ash knelt down so that he could place her feet on the ground, and she did so, using his shoulders for balance. "Thanks, Ash."

"Don't mention it." He stood back up and brushed off his jeans. "So Brian is off doing his own thing, and that leaves us to interview a few more people before we meet him at the Center in forty."

Misty rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she spoke. "So what's the vibe you've got from the first two people?"

"Hmm…" Ash thought. "I don't know. They seemed kind of empty. Not much personality in them, really. But maybe I just got a couple of boring types. The second one was a bit weird, though. Seemed to think she could convince me to live here after about two minutes."

"Well, let's hit up some more people before we go back," Misty said.

And they did so.

With each person they talked to, Ash's and Misty's unease grew. It wasn't anything that was there. After several people, it seemed more that it was something that wasn't there at all. Most of them had no spark at all, the ones who said nothing was wrong. And the one person who didn't say nothing was wrong ran away as soon as they asked if he'd seen anything. So, after the hour was up, they returned to the Pokémon Center, completely empty-handed and yet strangely anxious.

As they arrived, Brian walked very quickly out of the double doors to the center, slamming both of the panels out of his way. Immediately he saw the three of them and ran over.

"Oh, thank Arceus I found you. Come on, we've got to get the hell out of here."

"What have you found?" Misty asked. "Any proof?"

"Weird… just…" Brian's eyes were wide as he ran an absentminded hand through his hair. "Totally weird shit, that's what I found. First there was this old man who told me in the most insane way possible that something was spreading, he didn't know what, but it had got his assistant and it wasn't good. And there were some trainers in the Center who had just been sitting in there for days. I asked Nurse Joy about it and she held up for a while… then she broke down into _freaking_ _tears _and started telling me to get out of here as fast as I could. And then another nurse took her away for a few minutes… and when she came back, she was completely different… like… like…"

"Like she was missing part of her personality?" Ash completed uneasily.

Brian pointed at him. "Yes! Exactly! She was like an entirely different Joy! The only way I could tell it was even her is that her eyes were still red from crying." Brian shuddered as he remembered. "Oh, Din, those eyes…"

"That sounds a lot like the people we found," Misty noted. "Blank. Empty. I can see why people would call them weird. Something is definitely wrong with them."

"Well… I think we should go," Brian said. "Go and tell Lance something really _is_ going on down here, and it's spreading. I think a larger response than three people asking questions might be called for. And…" Brian looked around. "To tell the truth, I _really_ don't want to be next."

"How do we leave, though?" Ash asked. "Slifer and my Charizard aren't in any condition to fly for a while, and Komodo can't carry all of us."

"And I'm sure as hell not going back in there to get them revitalized." Brian shuddered.

"I guess we're walking then," Misty decided. "Not as though we've never done that before."

"I don't care, let's just go!" Misty and Ash had rarely seen Brian lose his cool before: remaining calm in the face of adversity was something they had always counted on from him. So watching him panic at what he'd seen was almost proof enough by itself that something was indeed terribly wrong in Lavender Town.

"The fastest way out of town would be down the road to the east," Misty said. No sooner had she said the words than Brian took off that way, trying and utterly failing to keep at a calm pace. Ash and Misty ran after him, then fell in behind at a brisk walk.

Behind them, five trainers walked out of the Center in a neat line.

As they half-ran out of Lavender Town, they noticed something else odd. The people on the street were all coming out as they walked. At first it was minor, but then up ahead they saw a crowd milling around in the street, blocking their way east.

"I think…" Brian hesitated, slowed, and stopped. "I think we should find another way."

"Agreed," Misty said. The three of them turned around.

Only to find that another crowd had formed in the street thirty feet behind them.

"Okay, I'm convinced," Ash whispered. "Something isn't right here."

"Stay close," Misty warned. "As long as we stay together we can keep each other safe."

"Pi…" Pikachu turned around on Ash's head, looking around for another way out. He spotted an alley on the other side of the street. "Pika!"

Ash followed the mouse's pointing paw. "Look," he said quietly. "Come on."

They walked again, this time making very sure to stay slow and try to avoid attention. But as they approached the middle of the street, two men and a child stepped forward, blocking the alley. They each leveled hard eyes at the trainers. From the child, the dark look was particularly unnerving.

"We're completely cut off," Misty said. "They're trapping us…"

"Oh, goddesses," Brian moaned. "What the hell have I dragged us into?"

"Damn it, Brian, focus!" Ash snapped at him. "There's a way out, if we can find it. There always is. Just calm down."

"They're closing in," Misty observed. Indeed they were. It seemed the people had realized that the game was up, and they were now walking very slowly towards the trio. All types were in the throng: old men, young men, children, women, even a couple of Officer Jennies and Nurse Joys, and each wore an identical terrifying mask of malice.

Pikachu leapt off of Ash's head and stood between the trainers and the crowd, his cheeks sparking in readiness.

"Pikachu's got the idea!" Ash exclaimed. He pulled out a Pokéball and released it. "Let's go, Glalie!"

Out of the ball, the living ball of ice emerged and joined Pikachu at the ready.

"What? We can't… we can't just _attack _people!" Brian sputtered.

"We won't have to," Ash explained. "Glalie, make a wall with Ice Beam!"

From his twin horns, Glalie released a ray of blue light at the ground between Pikachu and the advancing horde. Where it touched the ground, ice sprouted, and he layered it on until the ice was ten feet tall and a couple of feet thick.

"Great idea, Ash!" Misty exclaimed, releasing her own Pokémon. "Misty calls Dewgong!" The instant he had materialized, Misty had him set up another wall on the opposite side, closing the crowd completely out.

Brian silently called his Espeon. "Okay, girl, I need a Reflect to close up that alley!"

"Yon!" A glittering wall of light appeared before Espeon, and it moved forward. The three people who had advanced out of the alley were now pushed back, and they beat on the psychic barrier in frustration.

"Now we've got time to think," Misty said.

Ash looked to the sky, the clearest exit he could see. "As far as flying goes, we've got enough Pokémon, but can they still carry us?"

Misty glanced at the crowd; the people were now attempting to break through the wall of ice. "We may have to risk it."

"Recall Glalie and Dewgong," Brian said suddenly. Ash and Misty looked at him; he seemed to have recovered for the most part. "Komodo is still fresh, and Slifer has the most stamina. He should be able to get me, at least, out of Lavender, while Komodo takes you two. We can find somewhere to lay low until they're strong enough to return to the League, and until then I can call Lance and let him know what's happened here."

"Pikapi!"

Ash looked for Pikachu. "What's wrong, Pika…" His heart sank. "Oh, no."

He could see what Pikachu was worried about: one of the people in the crowd had gotten wise, and several trainers now had out fire Pokémon working on the wall of ice.

"We have no time! Recall, quickly!" Brian urged.

Ash and Misty nodded in agreement, and the two Ice types disappeared.

"Espeon…" Brian stopped, realizing he couldn't recall her yet: unlike the Ice types, her wall depended on her staying out to keep it in place. "Hold on. I'll get you as soon as I can." He quickly released his personal Charizard as well as Slifer, and once again the three trainers prepared to fly.

There was a loud crack from the wall under attack, and a section on their side sheared off, sending ice shards everywhere. Ash, Misty and Brian covered their faces, but Pikachu, Komodo, Slifer and Espeon could only cry out in pain as the tiny glittering knives dealt them each an assortment of scratches and slight cuts.

"Let's go!" Ash yelled. "I know a place near here!"

"I'll be right behind you. Komodo, take them up!" At Brian's command, the Charizard spread his wings and jumped into the air. He patted his own ride. "Sorry to put this on you, Slifer, but it's desperate. You won't have to go far, I promise." Slifer huffed his willing response.

There was another, louder crack from the ice wall. Another section crumpled, and this time there was nothing left. The crowd surged through the new hole, closing in on them.

"Brian! _Go!_" Misty screamed as they flew.

And Slifer did so, flying immediately out of reach of the mass of people. But as lucky as they were, Espeon was still down there, and it was surrounded in only a moment.

"Get away from her! Espeon, return!" Brian shot the beam from her ball into the crowd, but missed, hitting a person instead. Slifer moved to get him a better angle, and after two more shots, he was successful.

"Okay, buddy, let's get the hell out of here! Follow Komodo!" Slifer wasted no time in distancing them from the raving mob.

Ash led them to the east, towards the woods and the sea. After a few minutes, Ash saw what he was looking for in the trees, and they descended with Brian following soon after them. They all landed before a dark tower that looked like it was falling apart.

"We'll be safe here," Ash explained. "This was where I lived for a while when I was dead. Gengar and Gastly should remember me, so we can stay here until we have a way home."

"I remember," Misty said. She looked at the tower. "Hopefully the people won't follow. They'd never know where to find us."

Brian looked back and forth between Ash, Misty, and Pikachu. "I… Guys… I mean… Lavender town is… Wha—_**What the hell just happened?**_"

They turned together, looking back where they knew the mysteriously possessed town still lay. For a minute, all was still.

"Nothing good, that's for sure," Misty murmured.

In silence, they all agreed with her, but the thought still remained:

What _had_ happened in Lavender Town?

* * *

**Population Infected (Kanto): 0.174%**

* * *

Author's **Notes.**

Hey, world! Hope you liked Chapter Two! (I know the previous was a prologue, but since this site will put a two in front of the chapter title regardless, I just go with their system to make it easier to remember.) To be honest, this was probably one of the hardest chapters for me to write so far, because it's pretty much _all_ exposition and/or setup. The prologue had some too, but getting past the first three thousand words in this chapter was a nightmare for me. I just couldn't make it sound right, because _somewhere_ I had to interrupt the story so I could relate exactly what happened to Ash and Misty during the last three years without disrupting the flow. I might have failed at that…

Speaking of which, I had to skip over quite a few important events that aren't germane to this story. Some of those I _do _plan to elaborate on, either in a short story or a flash back, at a later date. For example, I _really_ wanted to show the E4 battle of Ash and Misty, but it would have been pointless in this story, totally detached from the plot at hand. So I didn't do that here, but honestly, how do you even _do_ that? For Ash, there's not much at stake except his dream, since if Misty loses he keeps going and she loses nothing, except perhaps some pride or recognition. But for _Misty_, what the hell does she do? She has to do her best in order to uphold her position, but she knows all along that winning will crush the dreams of her love _and_ separate him from her for even longer. And she can't throw the match, since the damn thing is _internationally_ televised, not to mention that anyone who knows their relationship (see: everyone) will be watching with even greater scrutiny because they would suspect it from her.

In short: FFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUU—

But I digress.

I referred to Bruno. Bruno is the Viridian leader because… well… why not? Agatha took over for a while in the show, but she was temporary, and she's old as hell as it is, so she was the best person I could logically retire. There are no other reputable Ground-type trainers to choose from who aren't on another Elite Four, and so that left me with either someone totally random, an OC, or Blue. But I didn't want an OC who is pretty much guaranteed to be naught but a name, and it's hard to have Blue since he's essentially Gary Oak (either he wouldn't be the same person, or there'd be no explanation for why we've never heard of him before now). So I picked the strongest trainer who was not otherwise occupied. (Will, Lorelei, and Karen are E4. Will can't be used because that would make two Psychic gyms, and removing Lorelei or Karen would leave a void to fill since Blue doesn't exist and Lance had the League Master position. Koga is still the Gym Leader, and he can't be used because that would make two Poison Gyms. Agatha is obviously out. After the prologue, Giovanni should be _really_ obviously out, even assuming the Mewtwo debacle didn't ruin his Leadership as it did in the animé. In addition, Bruno is the only one shown but never stated to be a ranked trainer in the show, so he wins out for best choice.)

Um… about the marriage, what do I say? Times vary. Some people date for half a year and call it good. I'd say that's unwise, but who's to say for sure? I think the right people could pull it off. And others date for a decade without ever tying the knot. Those are the two extremes, I think, but in the middle is a muddled mess of confusion. I decided two and a half years was enough time for them to make that decision, assuming that they were a good two point five years, of course, and that opens up a set of circumstances for this story that were too inviting _not_ to explore.

There was a major mood swing, and it was quite abrupt. This was intentional, like it or not, because I wanted to give the reader a sense of how jarring what happened in Lavender was to the characters, and also to shift from the mostly-happy short stories and the happy end of **OCAD** into this story, which is going to be… harsh. Not necessarily dark, but this time it's not just going to be Ash, Misty, Brock, Brian, and Natty against one Team. As you can see, seemingly normal people are… turning. How and why will be told later, if you can't figure it out yet. Honestly, you should know.

And, lastly, the ending was abrupt. I know, I know. But, honestly, I either would have had to cut the whole Lavender scene and had an incredibly awkward opening next chapter, or I would have had to continue this chapter for about six thousand more words before I could have reached anything close to a stopping point. That was the best available ending, believe it or not. That's my bad; sorry.

And… well, that about does it for this chapter! I hope you enjoyed, I hope you're looking forward to the next chapter, "Epidemic", wherein we'll explain some things to Lance, probably rescue Natty and rejoin with Brock (and maybe a mystery guest, too!) and learn exactly what's rotten in the state of Kanto. Until then, thanks for reading and please leave a review!

See ya next time!

James

4/2/11 **EDIT**: I changed around some words to fix overuse of the phrase "of course". It irked me as I was rereading the chapter. That is all. ~James


	3. Epidemic

**Infection**

_Chapter Three: Epidemic_

* * *

**Population Infected (Kanto): 0.174%**

* * *

The doors of the tower squealed and whined as Ash and Misty pushed through them together, Brian and Pikachu following close behind.

The latter trainer drew out a cell phone, only to groan as he saw the signal. Or, rather, the lack of one.

"Nothing," Brian complained. "I could barely send a text with this, much less try a long-distance call."

"Maybe up higher?" Ash suggested. "This _is_ a tower. There are a lot of different floors, and you might get better reception at the top."

"You would know." Misty looked around. "It's so weird to be here again. How long has it been? A decade?"

Ash laughed half-heartedly. (It was all he could manage: like Misty and Brian, he was still shaken from the incident in Lavender.) "For you, maybe. It's almost a homecoming for me, remember? I spent over a year here just three years ago. Speaking of which…" He led them out of the entrance hall and into the tower's center room. Ash cupped his hands into a megaphone and shouted. "Gengar! Gastly! Come on, I know you're listening! It's me, Ash!"

From the empty room, they heard the reply "Gar?"

Two pairs of eyes appeared, one on the ceiling and one on the floor. Upon seeing Ash, they shot wide, and the violet forms of Gastly and Gengar popped into the room, circling around him in joy.

Ash gave a genuine laugh this time. "It's so great to see you again! And so much has happened since then… although I guess you can tell that just by looking at me not being dead."

The pair stopped their frantic circling and looked hard at him, realizing that he had indeed gained a body since their last encounter.

"Gar, gar gen!" Gengar started. "Gen ga—" Suddenly he cut himself off, smacking his head. He held up one finger. "Gen."

In an instant, Gengar's features shifted. His squat purple body elongated and paled as he grew slightly taller than Ash, and clothes shed from his skin to neatly surround his new form.

Now using the familiar face and voice of Professor Oak, Gengar spoke again. "It's been too long, Ash!"

Misty, Pikachu, and Brian gasped in surprise. "You can change?" Misty asked.

"Of course!" Gengar cackled in a way that didn't fit his current body at all. "Who do you think taught Ash when _he_ was a ghost?"

"Astounding," Brian remarked curiously. You could almost see the switch flip as he moved into Science mode and started throwing out questions. "Is that a trait unique to you, or to Gengar, or could any Ghost Pokémon—"

"Cut it out, Brian," Ash chastised, cutting his query short. "As much as I'd like to, we're not here to make small talk."

And just like that, the switch flipped back. Brian's features hardened as he nodded in agreement.

Confused, Gengar looked back and forth between them. "I don't understand. Is something wrong?"

"Terribly," Misty confirmed. "Something's gone wrong with the people in Lavender Town. The whole town is acting insane and we have no idea why."

Gastly and Gengar looked at each other uneasily. "Hmm… we have noticed a strange feeling coming from that way. It barely caught our attention, though, since we'd never check it out ourselves."

"When did it start?" Ash asked. "Do you know?"

Gengar shook his head. "I'm afraid not. It came on slowly, and it ebbs and flows even now… But we first became aware of it a couple of months ago. It was quite a small feeling then, some smidgen of wayward Psychic energy. But in the last few days it has grown tremendously, though it remains weak in absolute terms."

"Psychic energy…" Ash mused.

"At least we know it's not a disease or something," Misty remarked. "Something or someone must be controlling them. Something ridiculously strong, especially if it can be sensed all the way from out here."

Brian cleared his throat for attention. "Ash... I still need to call. How do you get to the top?"

"Oh, yeah!" Ash pointed to a door left of the one they'd entered through. "There are stairs through there, but you'll have to be careful. I've got no idea how strong they are."

"Gotta risk it," he replied, already heading that way. "I'll return when I've got through and let you know how it goes."

In a moment, Misty was behind him, holding him back by the arm. "No you won't," Misty declared. Brian turned around, a question in his eyes. "You think we're going to split up after what just happened? No way." She looked to Ash. "We go together, or not at all."

"Definitely," Ash agreed.

Brian cracked a small smile. "Right. Together." He turned, and as the entire room followed him, you could hear the smile still in his voice as, speaking half to himself, he remarked, "I'd almost forgotten the other reason I chose you two to come with me…

"We do make such an excellent team."

* * *

The stairs were rickety, to say the least, and at least a quarter of them were rotted through. But somehow or another they made it to the top of the tower, into the Ghosts' playroom.

The room was almost the exact opposite of the rest of the Tower: bright, cheerful, and well-kept. Everything from rubber balls to toy soldiers and even a television and a working _carousel_ was in perfect condition.

Misty and Brian looked inquisitively at Ash and Pikachu upon seeing the room. The pair shrugged, and all the explanation Ash could give was "Ghost Pokémon like to play."

"Right…" Disregarding this, Brian took out his phone once again, holding it high. "Hmm… yes! Two bars. Not perfect, but it'll do for now."

Brian's fingers danced along the keys as he punched in Lance's number. Ash and Misty faintly heard the ringing on the other. It grew louder as Brian turned on the speaker and set it down on the carpeted floor so they could all speak; the trio of Masters gathered around it in anticipation, Pikachu and the Ghosts watching from the rear.

There was a click, and Lance's tinny voice began to sound from the phone's weak speakers. "Brian? This is a bit early. I didn't expect you to call for a few days. How goes the mission?"

"Lavender Town has been completely taken over, its occupants have all been infected by the same contagious insanity, they attacked us shortly after we arrived, and we barely escaped with our lives and minds," Brian relayed quickly.

"And we're holed up in a tower east of Lavender Town with no way to leave until our flying Pokémon have recovered," Misty added.

For a long moment, the phone was silent. Then the sound of running feet on pavement began to sound.

"Tell me absolutely _everything_," Lance ordered. They heard him yell "Get out of the way!" to someone on the other end as he ran.

Ash, Misty, and Brian took it in turns to relay all that they'd seen and heard in Lavender Town back to Lance. Even as they spoke, he was ordering people at the League around, preparing a full response: by the time they'd finished, messages were already on their way to the police and all the available Masters from Kanto and Johto were heading to the Indigo Plateau as fast as they could come.

"I'll send someone to pick you three up as soon as possible," Lance panted (he had just reached his office after running for nearly the entire explanation). "If things are really as bad as you say, then we've no time to wait for your Pokémon to recover. Can you tell me anything specific about your location?"

"It's almost exactly three miles northeast of Lavender," Ash remarked. "In the middle of the forest. But the top of the tower is higher than the trees around it, so if you approach from the air it should be obvious. Other than that, I can't help. It's not on the map and there are no roads leading out here."

"That'll have to be enough, then."

"Lance…" Brian began. "Do you have any idea what might be going on?"

They heard him sigh. "No. Nothing yet. I told you everything we knew when you left. Maybe another of the Masters might have an idea."

"If it helps…" Misty looked at Gengar. "We have some Ghost Pokémon here. They've told us that there's been some mass of Psychic energy radiating from the town over the past month or so."

"Any news is helpful at this point," Lance replied. "Psychic energy… I'll ask Will if this sounds like anything he's heard of when he gets here. I might call Sabrina as well. They're easily the best psychics in Kanto and Johto."

Ash barked out a short laugh. "I doubt they'll have heard of _this_ before. If an entire town had ever gone insane, I think I'd have heard of it."

"Because you're _always_ studying Kanto history," Misty scoffed.

"Well, _you_ probably would have heard of it," Ash amended.

Misty laughed a little sheepishly. "Uh, well, I wouldn't exactly say that _I'm_ a history buff either…"

"It hasn't happened," Brian sighed. "I'd have heard of it, I promise. I may not be a historian, but I've at least read _something_ that wasn't about Pokémon in the last decade."

"Be that as it may, any scrap of information we can gather can only help us now," Lance said. "It seems we find ourselves on the brink of disaster, and if so it may fall to us to keep our world, and our people, safe. But we will talk of that when you get here. For now, I need to be going. I've got a lot of calls to make. Brian, I'll make sure whoever is sent to retrieve you has your number to call when they arrive."

"Thank you, sir. We'll be there as soon as we can."

"I look forward to it." The line cut off.

They sat for a moment in silence.

"Well…" Brian put his phone away. "I guess we wait, then."

Ash stretched his legs out and lay back with his arms behind his head. "Sounds like naptime to me."

"But… isn't there anything…" Misty looked around to find that Brian, Pikachu, and even Gengar and Gastly were all lazing about similarly.

"Nope," Brian answered carelessly. "We'll have plenty to do once we get back to the Plateau. 'Til then, we might as well rest up. Being terrified for my life takes it out of me."

"Ditto," Ash mumbled.

"Chu," Pikachu agreed.

"Okay, I guess," Misty said tentatively. She lay down next to Ash and let him draw an arm around her, pulling her close. Pikachu crawled over and joined them, curling up on top of Ash to complete their small family. In moments they were all asleep.

Except, of course, for Gastly and Gengar. Ghosts don't sleep…

And so a few minutes after the humans and Pikachu had curled up, Gastly tilted his head. He looked to Gengar, who met his gaze in confirmation. They both felt the same thing: whatever energy was in Lavender seemed to be leaving, for whatever reason.

"Maybe it's going away," Gengar muttered. "Maybe there won't be a problem after all." Shifting back to his true form, he looked at the wall beyond which he knew Lavender lay. For the first time in almost a century, he very much wanted to leave his Tower to learn what was going on…

* * *

At approximately 4:30 that evening, a mass exodus occurred in Lavender Town.

Nearly every vehicle in the area was moving in perfect sync, each one perfectly filled to capacity with the townspeople. Some cars held people who had never met before in their lives.

And yet they knew each other. The bonds that held them all made sure of that.

And it was those same bonds that were able to coordinate nearly four thousand buses, cars, and trucks as they moved east together. There were no traffic jams, no people cut off, no accidents. From above, they would have appeared much like a swarm of ants marching to war; each one separate, apart, and yet only a piece of a single sentience.

The column of cars moved towards Saffron City.

It took fifty-five minutes for the first cars to travel the distance, and so the column arrived on the outskirts at about 5:25 P.M. As they travelled into town, some of the vehicles split off, moving into several clusters throughout the city. They arrived in parks, at malls, around neighborhoods, in parking structures, anywhere that many people were nearby. Together, the groups emerged from their vehicles.

At each cluster, there were a few Team Rocket members in place, each one masked to keep their appearances as uniform as possible: not even they knew exactly who they were working with. In addition, each one wore one, and only one, glove, each with a red stone set in the palm.

As the people arrived, some of them moved towards the Rockets. Without a word, they were given a collection of crystals, and as they received them each one stepped back, allowing another to take their place with flawless efficiency.

And then, suddenly, all movement stopped. Everyone who had needed to do so had stepped forward.

At each cluster, the Rockets each raised their hands in unison, and spoke with one voice:

"Go."

And the people of Lavender Town scattered to begin their assault on Saffron.

* * *

"Wow! Growlithe looks amazing!"

Natalia Brown smiled cheerfully as she handed the Fire puppy back to his trainer, the short teen taking him with wide eyes. "You'd be surprised what a few days of care can do for a Pokémon. And she was so much fun! It almost makes me feel bad that you're going to pay me for it."

"Well, I don't _have_ to if it bothers you," he replied with a sly smirk.

She frowned dramatically. "Hey, I said 'almost,' Ken! I'm running a breeding center here, not a charity."

"Only kidding," Ken replied. He took out his walled, removed a small stack of bills and handed them over. "I added it up, so that should be right, Natalia."

"Natty," she corrected as she took the money. She thumbed quickly through it to make sure the count was correct. "That's exactly the amount, thanks!" She whistled. "Come here, Pachi!" From another room of the breeding center, Natty's Pachirisu chattered as she came. She jumped up, clinging to Natty's magenta T-shirt before she scurried onto her shoulder. Natty handed her Pokémon the money. "Take this to the register, please." Pachi rubbed against Natty's cheek before she leapt off, running to the front of the store.

"What did you do to his coat?" Ken asked as he marveled at Growlithe.

"Special shampoo," she replied. "It was invented by my partner Brock for Fire types, because normally they burn it off before it can really soak in and get the fur nice and shiny."

"I know. I've tried myself. Hey, is there any way I could get some from you?" He asked.

Natty frowned again. "Sorry, but I don't have any for sale. I'm talking to Brock about it, but right now the only place you can get it is his store in Pewter. He makes it all himself, so it's in short supply. I wish I could."

"Hmm. Maybe I should go talk to him."

"It's not cheap," Natty warned. "So unless it's super-important that you keep Growlithe looking perfect, you might be better off with something else. Anything will get him clean."

"Thanks. I'll think about it." Ken started towards the exit, and Natalia followed him. In the lobby, she took her place with Pachirisu at the register and waved as he left. Then, with a heavy sigh, she opened a notebook on the desk and began to write out her transaction with the young trainer, going completely against her nature by making sure every boring detail was marked out in full. Luckily for her, she was interrupted halfway through when her spiky-haired partner came through the door.

"Again?" Natty said upon seeing him. "Holy crap, Brock, this is the third time this week! Honestly, if I didn't know better, I'd think you didn't trust me."

"No, I've learned better!" Brock replied. "I just wanted to… check up on things… again. Is that so wrong?"

"You know damn well that nothing's changed in the past forty-eight hours." Natty started ticking off items on her fingers. "Growlithe just got picked up, but other than that I still have Blissey, Snubbull, Phanpy, and that Beautifly that keeps trying to Sleep Powder me."

"Well, see?" Brock defended. "Now I know that Growlithe's gone."

"You're here to see if Sabrina's visited and we both know it," Natty flatly accused.

"Grk!"

A few weeks before, Sabrina (Saffron's Psychic Gym Leader) had brought them an Abra that she had found injured on the northern edge of Saffron City. The Pokémon Center had healed it's injuries, but she couldn't get the poor Pokémon to relax, and so she brought it to Natalia. Through kindness, and care, and to some extent plain stubbornness, Natty had gotten Abra to open up to her (as much as any Abra ever opened up, anyway) in a turnabout that Sabrina had praised as a near-miracle. And through Sabrina's many visits while Abra recovered, she'd developed a sort-of friendship with Natty. And one day, Brock dropped by and met Sabrina. And then a miracle happened.

For once, Brock was actually normal around a girl who wasn't Natty or Misty. His fear of the fact that Sabrina could probably teleport him to the moon lasted just long enough for him to not make a total ass of himself, and before the day was over Brock and Sabrina were closer than Sabrina and Natty. Ever since then, both of them had been coming over quite often, always inquiring about the other.

Natty was _so_ close to just setting them up a date so they would stop bugging her already.

"If you're so desperate to see her, I'd suggest her gym," Natty remarked. "She's usually there."

"No!" Brock shouted, his face turning dark red as he shook his head rapidly. "I could never just… I mean, no, that's not why I'm here!"

"Ha. Caught you," Natty smirked before turning her attention back to her notebook. "Now, if you have nothing better to do, either go home, go to her gym, or get the equipment inventory out of that cabinet so I can take off the Fire conditioner I used earlier."

Realizing that it meant he could stick around a bit longer, Brock started on the third option. As he rifled through the filing cabinet, he asked, "By the way, is there a convention in town?"

"Not that I know of," Natty replied without looking up from her notes. "Why?"

Brock shrugged. "Nothing. Just saw a bunch of cars parking together on my way in, about fifteen minutes ago. It was probably just something private."

"You don't say."

"I do say."

For a moment, the room was silent but for the scratching of a pen and rustling papers.

Then Natty heard a familiar hum, and then a crash. She looked up for the source to see Brock lying on the ground with Sabrina on top of him, the latter having apparently just teleported on top of his head.

Sabrina stumbled quickly away from Brock and looked at the two of them with wild eyes. Then, for a moment, she seemed to break down, falling to her knees, and letting her long, forest green hair hang over her eyes. "Thank Mew," she said, her voice cracking with relief. "You're still okay, you're still you." Her eyes locked onto Natty with a deadly intensity. "Come on. We have to get out of here now. Saffron City is under attack."

* * *

"_**What!**_"

"I'm sorry, Brian. I can't help you right now. We've got to go help in Saffron!"

It had hardly been an hour later when Lance called back again, this time with far more dire news: apparently Saffron's police department had called in an all-out invasion. They'd already lost a quarter of the force before realizing that the invaders were spreading whatever they had by touch. They'd put the officers under orders to back off and attempt to evacuate the city.

"Under… attack…" Brian sat down heavily. "How many people are attacking? And who?"

Lance paused on the line. "How many I don't know, but all the evidence indicates that it's most or all of Lavender Town."

Brian's face drained completely of color. "Then that means…"

"In all probability, they are intentionally spreading their… disease… to the citizens of Saffron City," Lance completed. "Brian, Saffron is the largest city in Kanto. There are two _million_ people in the city itself, and a million more in the surrounding area. If this spreads to them all…" He couldn't complete the statement. "We simply can't allow that to happen. Are you certain that there's no way for you to get there?"

"Don't you think I wish I could?" Brian murmured.

"I'm sorry," Lance said. Brian could tell from his tone that he meant it. "We'll do our best to keep everyone safe. And… Brian… if I can, I'll find her."

Brian swallowed hard. "Thank you, sir."

"Please… don't thank me yet," Lance replied. "Not until this is over." And with that he hung up.

Brian dropped the phone as soon as the call ended. He looked to Ash and Misty. "Saffron's being attacked," he explained, his voice empty. "Lavender Town must have emptied out right after we left. Lance sent everyone available to support the police, including himself." There were tears in his eyes as he added, "He's not sure if it will help."

"Brian…" Misty rose up and gave him a hug. It was enough to tip him over the edge, and he started to cry silently.

Ash looked on in confusion. "I don't understand," he said. "Why…"

Misty turned her head around, fixing one eye on him without letting Brian go. "Ash, Natty's in Saffron. And odds are she has no way to leave and no idea that anything's wrong. If they find her…"

Ash paled. "Oh, Mew."

"Exactly."

"You don't know," Brian sobbed suddenly. "You've never had that happen, been trapped in your own mind…"

"What do you mean?" Misty asked, releasing him.

Curling his legs into his chest, he took a few shuddering breaths to calm down. When he spoke, it was with a quiet despair they'd never heard from him.

"Remember when I was captured?"

Ash nodded. "How could we forget?" As important as returning Ash to life had been, the search and rescue of Brian after he was captured during the search for Galactic had become just as important, if not more so.

"I've told you once before that they used the Red Chain to control me. But I've never explained… You don't know…" he stopped. "Mind control is a powerful force. But no matter what, there's always a piece of the real you left. Some part that knows exactly what you're doing and what's happening to you. A part that can't fight back, that can't do anything but watch as you do whatever you're told, no matter how sickening or cruel it might be. And in Lavender Town… I saw the same thing in those people. Do you think they would ever attack us on their own?" Brian trembled. "I was terrified beyond reason that I might go back to that hell. I won't let that happen to me again. And I'd never let it happen to anyone I care about. But Natty…" He broke into a fresh cry again. "I can't lose her. Not like that. Never like that. And the Chain was easy to get out of. But we don't know anything about this… what if what happened to Lavender Town is permanent?"

Ash and Misty shivered at the implications. "That would be awful," Misty murmured.

"Death would be better," Brian quietly agreed.

"It won't happen," Ash said forcefully. "We know her. She's strong and she's lucky. She'll find a way out."

Brian put his head in his hands. "I pray you're right."

There was silence for a long while after that. No one really knew what to say.

* * *

"We're under attack?" Brock sputtered. "From _who?_"

"I don't know," Sabrina replied. "Whatever they are, they came all at once a little while ago. Some people being used like puppets. And somehow they're making everyone they meet… like… themselves. Controlled."

Natty stared incredulously. "So… zombies? It's zombies?" She smirked. "Should I get my shotgun?"

"_Damn it, this isn't a fucking joke_!" Sabrina screamed. Natty recoiled in surprise; she'd never heard Sabrina raise her voice before. Or curse, for that matter.

"Whoa, Sabrina!" Brock held out his hands. "Calm down. Tell us what's happening."

For a second, Sabrina looked at him, breathing hard with wide eyes. Then, much to his shock, she threw herself at him, burying her head in his shoulder.

"It was awful," she cried. "They took everyone, even the Pokémon. Nobody could even tell anything was wrong until they were already taken… except me. I could sense when they changed, but even I didn't understand what was happening until they came for me… All my students from the psychic academy. All my Pokémon. My parents_. _Brock_, they made my parents attack me._"

Brock wanted to comfort her, but didn't know what to do: despite hundreds of attempts, he'd never actually been in this situation before. He tried patting her back as he asked, "What did you do?"

"I tried to free their minds first, but I couldn't. Whatever's controlling them is a lot stronger than my abilities. Maybe I could have fought them off telekinetically, but… I couldn't! They were my friends, my family… I couldn't hurt them. So I teleported to the first place I thought of, which turned out to be here." She looked at Brock. "I had to try and rescue you too… and Natty, of course."

Suddenly, she jumped away from him. "Quick. Get whatever you absolutely need and come here. I can get us out of town, but they're coming. Wait…" She closed her eyes and concentrated. "They're… spreading from certain points. Um… I see. They came into town and formed a bunch of clusters, then moved from there…" She opened her eyes. "They're not just at the gym, they're everywhere. They're spreading like a wildfire. In another few minutes, I think they'll have control of the whole town. We can't be here when that happens."

"We have to bring the Pokémon," Brock said suddenly. "We can't leave them."

"Then go!" Sabrina cried. "Hurry!"

Brock turned to Natty to find her throwing two empty Pokéballs his way. He deftly caught them.

"Blissey and Phanpy are in the yard out back," she explained. She leapt over the desk and ran towards the back. "I'll have to get Beautifly and Snubbull out of holding."

"I'll go recall them." Brock followed her, but stopped at the door. He looked back. "Sabrina, I…"

"There's no time now," she said, cutting him off. "Go."

He nodded resolutely and left.

For a few minutes, Sabrina stood in silence, meditating and trying to pick out individuals from the group of controlled people. She found it nearly impossible: there was just too much background noise from the larger groups. Unless someone got very, very close, she wouldn't be able to tell. She opened her eyes again and looked out the glass storefront. For the moment, the streets were clear… but only for the moment.

"Got 'em," Natty cried from the back of the breeding center. She sprinted back into the lobby, sliding to a stop just short of a collision with Sabrina. Pachirisu sat on her shoulder, twisting a strand of Natty's dark brown hair and chattering anxiously. "Where's Brock?"

"He's still in the back," Sabrina answered.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Brock yelled. He ran through the hall as Natty had, bursting into the lobby.

Only to be stopped as Sabrina lifted him into the air.

"Wha… What are you doing, Sabrina?" he asked heatedly. "Let me down! We have to go!"

"No…" Sabrina stared with empty, heartbroken eyes, and shook her head slowly. "Oh, Brock, not you, too..."

"Stop it!" Brock roared, suddenly more enraged than Natty had ever seen him before. "Damn you, _let me down!_ We have to get out of here!"

"I know we do… I'm so sorry for this."

A moment later she hurled him back and grabbed Natty's arm. There was a flash of blue light, and they were gone.

* * *

Natty felt a strange sort of motion sickness for a moment after they appeared, which was only made worse when they fell a few feet to land hard on a hill overlooking Saffron City.

"Brock…" Natty looked around, but he wasn't there. Only herself, Pachirisu, and Sabrina had made the trip. Sabrina had her back turned to Natty, looking towards the lost city.

"What the _fuck_, Sabrina?" Natty stood up, her fists clenched. "Why the hell did you leave him? _Why?_ Did he bother you _that_ much, that you had to get rid of him? Let what happened to your family take him?" Natty nearly flew at her in her fury; she was only stopped when Sabrina fell weeping to the ground.

"Do you think I _wanted_ to leave him?" she wailed. "I would never… but…" She turned around to stare at Natty (or perhaps through her) with bloodshot eyes. "They took him. I couldn't pick out individuals at a distance; I couldn't even tell it had Brock until he was almost in the room… Someone must have got him in the backyard and sent him in alone to take us, as well. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Natty I'm so sorry…"

"Brock…" Natty whispered painfully. She sat down beside Sabrina. "Damn it all."

"I don't know what to do," Sabrina said, her voice weak with exhaustion. "I would go to the Plateau… but I can't get both of us there. After getting us out of Saffron, I'm already tired. I don't even know if I could get _me_ there. It's across the region."

"Pewter?" Natty suggested. "We could go to where Brock… was."

"I wouldn't risk it…" Sabrina sniffled. "Maybe Lavender Town. But considering that the people all came from the east… I think it might not be Lavender Town anymore."

"Sabrina…" Natty asked. "What's going to happen?"

"I don't know, Natty. If they take everyone in Saffron, that's over a quarter of Kanto. And if they're all able to spread whatever they have… it won't take long to have the whole region under control."

"Brian…" Natty realized. "He might not know. What if he comes home?" Horrorstruck, she grabbed Sabrina's arm. "What if he _was_ home?"

Sabrina turned her head and sadly stated "Then he won't be your Brian anymore."

A flash of memory occurred to Natty:

"_It's over, Natalia. Slifer, use Hyper Beam on her._"

"_Do not disobey! I said attack her!"_

_"I wouldn't want to fight me either."_

Her heart fell as she remembered Brian being ordered to attack her… and doing his best to follow orders. "No… not again."

"Risu?" Pachirisu jumped into Natty's lap, nuzzling her chest. "Pipachi?"

"No, Pachi… Daddy's fine," Natty decided. She nodded determinedly to herself. "If he was there, he'll fly away and we'll find him. I know it."

"But what will we do?" Sabrina asked. "We need a safe place to go. But if this spreads… there may be no safe place. Not in a populated area, by any means. But where?"

And then a skeleton appeared in front of them and danced a jig.

Natty flew back, clutching Pachirisu with a cry of fright, but Sabrina simply sat there and sighed. "Not now, Haunter…"

"Haunt haunter!" The skeleton exclaimed sadly before dissolving into the relatively normal form of Haunter, a Ghost Pokémon that Sabrina didn't _quite_ own; instead, he seemed to just enjoy following her and trying to make her either scream or laugh just for the sheer hell of it.

Haunter seemed preoccupied for a moment, but soon popped back with his normal manic grin. "Hau… Haunt haunt ter!"

"You do?" Sabrina said, real hope filling her voice for the first time that day.

"He does what?" Natty asked. "Please fill me in."

"He says he knows a place nearby," Sabrina explained.

"Haunter haunt!" Haunter exclaimed proudly. He pointed to the east. "Haunt ha haunter."

"The other side of Lavender Town," Sabrina translated. She mulled that over for a moment. "I THINK I could get us that far. It'll take all I've got, but I'm pretty sure I can do it. We could rest there for a day or so, and then I could probably jump the two of us to Fuschia or Cerulean when I'm fresh and have time to meditate."

Natty hesitated for a moment, then agreed, "Okay."

Sabrina sat down and put a hand on Haunter's head, reading his mind to get the location straight from the source. She wanted to know the spot she was going to as well as Haunter did. Then she held her other hand out to Natty, who sat back next to her and took it gingerly.

"Get ready… this one will be harder," Sabrina warned. Then she was surrounded by a bright blue aura. Looking down, Natty noticed the same thing around herself and Pachirisu. Then there was a great jerk at the base of her spine, and they disappeared once more.

* * *

Brian had finally pushed back the tears, but just barely. Ash, Misty, and Pikachu were sitting together silently, trying to comfort each other over what was happening. They'd invited Brian to sit with them, but he hadn't spoken a word since realizing the danger that his fiancé was in.

"What do you think will happen?" Misty asked, scratching Pikachu's ears absently.

Ash shook his head. "I don't have a clue. Saffron is so big… you think that just the people from Lavender can really capture the whole city?"

Misty groaned and covered her eyes. "How should I know? I really hope not, but… maybe. If the people they spread to can themselves spread the same 'disease', then the number will go up exponentially."

Ash was totally blank. "It'll do what?"

She sighed. "You're so hopeless, Ash."

There was a quiet hum and a flash of blue light, followed by two quiet thumps as two bodies hit the ground.

"What the hell?" Ash yelled, jumping up with Misty.

"Huh?" Brian snapped out of his funk, and looked towards the commotion. "Who…"

By the time his conscious mind recognized the second person, Brian was already on his feet.

"_Natalia!_"

She sat up, shocked to hear his voice. "Brian?" Natty turned around, searching for the source, and her eyes lit up as she recognized him running towards her. "Brian!"

Tears were once again streaming down his face, but this time for an entirely different reason, as he stopped and slid to a stop embracing her.

"You're alright. You're here. You're safe." Between each declaration, he kissed her until they both laughed with sheer joy and relief.

"Brian…" she stopped him, holding his face in her hands. "How? How are you here?"

"How are _you_ here?" Brian replied. "Hey, cut it out!" Pachirisu, nearly as ecstatic as Natty to see Brian again, was climbing all over his head. Luckily, he was saved as she saw Pikachu and rushed off to reconnect with her old friend.

"That's a good question," Ash interjected, walking over with Misty. "How _are_ you here?" Then he saw Sabrina. "Sabrina… she rescued you? Why you? And why here? And what's wrong with her?"

Sabrina finally opened her eyes and sat up. "Whoa… that took even more than I expected." She yawned. "Hi… you look familiar…" She tried to place his name, but her tired mind came up blank.

"It's Ash, Sabrina. Ash and Misty and Brian."

"Oh, yes…" Sabrina closed her eyes and smiled. "I remember you. You're the one who brought me Haunter… who set me free." Then she frowned. "Didn't you die?"

"A little," Ash replied. "I got better."

"Oh. That's nice." Sabrina laid back and mumbled incoherently for a moment before fading into light snores.

"She's exhausted," Natty explained. "She brought me, herself, Pachirisu, and Haunter here from Saffron… that really took it out of her."

"Haunter?" Ash exclaimed. He turned to see Haunter happily reuniting with Gengar and Gastly, who he had left nearly a decade before.

"Hey, Haunter!" Ash started to go say hello when Natty reached past Brian and grabbed his arm.

"Wait."

Ash stopped. "Hm? What's wrong, Natty?"

She swallowed hard. "Ash… it's Brock. They got Brock."

"No!" Ash protested. "They…" He grit his teeth. "Bastards!"

Misty looked stunned, a hand . "Holy shit… Just when I thought we were all safe…" She caught herself blinking back tears. "Damn it."

"I'm sorry," Natty said. "They… wait." She paused. "How do you even know what I'm talking about?"

"We were attacked, Natty," Brian explained softly. "Before they left Lavender Town to strike at Saffron. Ash, Misty, and I were sent to investigate what was happening, and we just barely made it out. Ash led us here."

"Where are we?" She asked. "Sabrina never really told me…"

"This is the tower where Ash spent time when he was dead," Brian explained. "It was the closest safe place."

"And I'm guessing Haunter led you here?" Ash added.

Natty nodded. "He told Sabrina he knew a safe place with no people. I guess it was here. Although why that would be, I have no idea…"

Ash looked over at Haunter again. "This was his home. The first time I traveled through Kanto, I came here looking for a Ghost Pokémon to defeat Sabrina, and I found Haunter. She was insane back then; I mean, truly, completely bonkers. But Haunter made her laugh. Somehow, that was all it took. He stuck around with her afterwards, and I guess this is the first time he's come back since then." He was silent for a moment. Then he asked "How did it happen?"

"I…" Natty choked. "It was my fault. They went for the Gym first, I think, and Sabrina's whole family and all her trainers and students were caught. She's been visiting recently, and when she teleported away, she came to us, to save us if she could. Brock…" she laughed weakly. "Brock was there because he was hoping Sabrina would come by. They've been getting along really well. Who would have thought Brock might find a girl he couldn't scare away? But when she came, she told us to grab what we needed as fast as we could. All we had were a few Pokémon we were taking care of." She gripped Brian's arm until her knuckles were bone white. "We couldn't leave them, we just couldn't!"

"Calm, calm, love," Brian soothed, caressing her back. "No one blames you. I don't think anyone here could have left an innocent Pokémon behind." Ash and Misty murmured their agreement, giving Natty strength to continue.

"I got the ones inside while Brock went outside." She hiccupped. "And when he came back... Sabrina could tell it wasn't him anymore. There's not any big fence in the back, anyone could just climb over… I guess they caught him there. So Sabrina threw him through the Breeding Center and got the rest of us out as fast as she could."

And there Natty reached her limit. The memory of Brock being launched back, that look of otherworldly fury in his eyes, brought it all crashing down as the last half-hour of frantic action and loss finally caught up with her. She choked on a word, stopped, tried again, stopped, and finally broke down.

"That's enough," Misty stated. Ash looked down at her. "She's exhausted. I think we're all getting to the ends of our ropes."

"It's time to rest," Brian agreed quietly. "The world may be falling down around us, but we're only human. This has been the worst day since Galactic, and the way things are looking it's not going to get better anytime soon." Natty gave a fresh sob in his arms, and he nearly smacked himself for his stupidity. "Oh, Din, I'm an idiot. Sorry, love…"

"Don't be," she replied shakily. "I know it's the truth."

"Pachi?"

Having seen Natty from across the room, Pachirisu had returned to see what was wrong. She tilted her head.

"Come on," Natty said with a watery smile. She let go of Brian with one arm and held it out, creating a small space between them. "There's room for one more."

Pachirisu snuggled in with a happy squeal, which in turn caused both Brian and Natty to giggle lightly as they put their arms back around each other.

Ash and Misty looked at each other, each of them cracking a small smile in turn. Ash slipped an arm around her waist, and they walked together to the other side of the rather spacious room, Pikachu following close behind them, making sure that both couples add a bit of space to themselves.

Pikachu leapt up onto Ash's head. "Pi pika!"

Ash reached up and scratched him once. "Sorry, buddy. I guess you kind of got left out in all the commotion."

Pikachu shrugged. "Pi."

Misty looked back at Brian and Natty, who had curled up together and were now resting peacefully on their way to sleep. "So, should we just… go back to where we were before the attack?"

Ash sat down and held out a hand to her. "Unless you've got a better idea."

"It just feels so wrong," Misty replied. But she took his hand anyway.

Ash's voice was barely above a whisper as he answered, "Yeah… I know." Ash lay back once more (once again quietly glad that the floor was plush carpet rather than splintery wood like the rest of the tower) and lay on his side, inviting Misty to sleep in his arms. Of course, that would have been the _easy_ way. Instead, Misty took the spot at his back ("No, _I_ wanna be big spoon.") and he ended up cradling a sleeping Pikachu.

"Ash…" Misty's voice was weak, so weak he almost didn't hear her even with her head nuzzling into the crook of his neck.

"Hn?"

"I…" he could hear the tears in her voice, and feel them on his cheek, as she whispered, "I can't believe… Brock… he's always been…"

Ash took Misty's hands and squeezed them tight. "Unassailable. Like… like a rock. No matter what's happened to us, he's been the one who could always stay sane, always stay strong…"

"And now he's gone… before we even had a chance to see him."

"I know, Misty. I know. But… you know, I almost feel bad for whoever is behind this."

There was a long pause, followed by a dull "_What._"

Ash explained. "As terrible as it is… they just kidnapped the best friend of three top-level Masters and the craziest girl in the world. Once we actually get out of here and go start _looking_ for them?" He gave a black chuckle. "Oh, they are _so royally_ _**screwed**_."

He managed to earn one weak, but genuine, "Ha" from his girlfriend with that.

"We'll get him back," Ash promised seriously after a minute had passed. "If we have to tear up half of Kanto, we'll get it done. We've never given up before. Right, Myst?" He waited a moment for her response, but then realized that the steady breath on his neck could only mean she had succumbed to her exhaustion once more.

With no one to talk to, and feeling more than a bit tired himself, Ash closed his eyes and joined her.

* * *

"_He's a Mon-day morning luuuuuuunatic, disturbed from time to time! Lost within himself, in his Solitary—"_

_Click._

"Blaaaaargh," Brian moaned into his phone. "Whadja wan'?"

"What… who the hell is this?" The voice on the other end became half enraged and half frantic. "What have you done with Brian Edwards?"

_Oh, shit._ "Lance?" Brian bolted upright, accidentally jarring Natalia awake as he did so. "Damn, I'm sorry. I was asleep. That was me." Brian walked quickly to Ash, Misty and Pikachu, snapping his fingers rapidly at them. They slowly rose up to look at him with bleary eyes. He mouthed _It's Lance_ at them and jerked his head to get them moving. It only took a few moments before they were on their feet, listening for any information. Brian put the phone back on speaker, and everyone in the room gathered around.

"Okay, Lance, you've got the whole troupe. Now _what happened?_"

For a span of seconds that seemed to stretch into infinity, Lance said nothing. Then…

"It was hopeless," he finally said. His voice, for the first time that any of them had ever heard, was totally lifeless and dull. "We attempted to stop them, but there were too many. Far too many. We could not let them get close enough to touch us for fear of the infection, but we battled as hard as we could to hold them back. Walls of ice, walls of fire, trenches, psychic barriers, anything we could come up with. In the end it was all pointless. Maybe a fiftieth of them were trainers, and maybe a tenth of those anything nearing a threat… but that was 300 trainers, 30 good ones, against the five Masters who were able to show. Even further, every person they infected was another potential opponent; they gained trainers even faster than we could defeat them. We fought for a while, but in the end they wore us all down."

He paused. "We lost Will. He tried holding them back with his own telekinetic abilities even after he ran out of Pokémon, but it was too much, and he gave up his chance to get away in exchange. He was too tired to move when they got to him. As for me… I lost Gyarados. I wasn't the only one to have a Pokémon stolen away mid-battle, either."

"What's happened to Saffron?" Ash asked.

"I… I…" Another first: Lance at a loss for words.

"What's happened to my city, Lance?" Sabrina demanded again.

"That voice…" Lance seemed to perk up a bit. "Sabrina? You made it out?"

"Yes, I did," she answered. "Now answer my question!"

"…It's gone. It's all been taken. After Will fell, we realized that if all of us were captured fighting there, then there'd be no one to help the rest of Kanto. We hightailed it out, and I made it to Vermillion and healed up. I'm in the Pokémon Center there now."

"Why Vermillion?" Misty asked.

"Because the only one of us with any way to come get you lot is me. I have several flying Pokémon with phenomenal stamina, and it's absolutely vital that we get all of you back to the Plateau so we can formulate a plan of action. Vermillion was the closest safe place with a Pokémon Center. Lavender Town is empty, and Saffron…"

"Sir?" Natty asked in a small voice. "Um… how many? How many people?"

Lance hesitated. "We won't know for certain for a while, but… if I had to guess, I'd say it was most of them. At least three-quarters of the city. Possibly more. A few people made it out, but the invaders were… thorough. It was a remarkably well planned attack."

"That's… that's two million people, minimum," Sabrina stated flatly.

"Enough to do nearly anything," Lance agreed. "Which is why we _must_ get to work. Ash, Misty, and Brian have a unique perspective from their investigation, information we need to give everyone at the Plateau. It'll take a bit to organize that many people, no matter how quickly it's done. That may be a tiny window and we can't waste it."

"Then come," Brian stated. "We will have the chance to talk later."

"I'm going to be headed towards you in a few minutes, then. If Ash's directions were right, then it'll be a little under two hours."

"Thank you. We'll be waiting."

"I'll see you then."

They sat for a few seconds around the dead phone.

"Uh…" Ash scratched his head and yawned. "So, what time is it?"

Stepping forward, Brian looked at the display before pocketing his phone again. "Holy crap, it's three in the morning, give or take a few minutes."

"Well, we fell asleep at like six or seven, so that's not too surprising," Misty said. She stood up and stretched. "And I'm completely done with sleeping right now. I'm going outside to train until he gets here."

Ash stood up. "I'm with you, then. What about you three?"

"I'm, ah… a bit rusty on the training," Natty admitted. "I've been running a business. Doesn't leave much time for that. But I guess I'd better get to it, considering what we're getting into…"

"Probably," Brian agreed. "And obviously I'm in."

"Sabrina?" Ash asked. "You've been… quiet."

"I'll come with," she said. Her voice fell as she completed "But… I don't have my Pokémon. They were at the gym, and they were all… all…"

Ash flushed. "Oh… I'm so sorry, Sabrina. I can't imagine…"

She took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "No, it's alright. It's hard, but I've got pretty good control over myself. I'll get by."

"Hmm… no," Brian said, shaking his head. "That won't do at all. It's not about emotional support, it's about having a way to defend yourself. I know you're a psychic and you can defend yourself that way to a point, but if you get too tired out, you're as good as dead... like Will. Could I at least let you carry Espeon for a bit? At least until you can get a Pokémon of your own."

Sabrina thought for a moment. "I guess. That would be okay. Thanks."

"Don't thank me. You saved Natalia…" He glanced at his fiancé. "I owe you more for that than I could ever repay." Brian reached into his jacket and removed Espeon's Pokéball. "I'll let her out so she'll understand." Throwing out the ball, he said, "Come on, Espeon!"

As soon as Espeon had coalesced, Brian knelt down behind her. "Hey, Espeon. I need to ask a favor. Can—"

For a moment, he kept moving his mouth, but no words came out. Then his hand flew to his throat, his eyes wide. Espeon turned to face him and outright hissed. She stalked back, and Brian started to rise into the air, clawing wildly at his neck with silent cries for help.

"Holy… she's choking him!" Natty cried. "_Stop her!_"

Ash and Misty sprang into action. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt right now!"

Misty released Corsola with a cry of "Rock Blast Espeon, quick!"

Two cries went up as Pikachu and Corsola sent a barrage of electricity and stone at Espeon…

Only to have it all utterly fail, hitting an invisible barrier two feet from contact.

"She's using Reflect!" Ash deduced.

Misty nodded. "Keep pouring it on, guys! It'll break through!"

"Pi!"

"'Sola!"

"Ah… add yours in too, Pachirisu!" Natty finally added. "Thunderbolt!"

"Pachi!"

For a moment, nothing changed. Brian floated higher, his arms beginning to slow and falter as his air ran out, and the three attacks couldn't get through. Then, finally, help arrived.

Hearing the struggle upstairs, the three ghosts had finally made a reappearance. Immediately upon seeing the situation, all three of them pounded Espeon's shield with a Shadow Ball, which was more than enough. The Reflect broke with a sound like shattering glass, and Espeon was suddenly under attack from six points. Needless to say, she did not last long. Electricity crackled, rocks pounded, and the three Shadow Balls knocked her across the room. She hit the wall and fell still.

Which left Brian falling through the air, limp and unconscious.

Natty ran under him, ready to do her best in a futile attempt to catch the man who was at least twenty pounds heavier than she. She was saved, fortunately, as Brian fell into another psychic's grip. Sabrina shone a light blue as Brian slowed, falling gently into Natty's waiting arms. She sank to the ground, laying him down and cradling his head, as everyone present came running over.

"He's breathing," she said. "He's just knocked out."

Almost immediately, he coughed violently, and his eyes fluttered open. "I think…" he coughed again. "I think something's wrong with Espeon."

"No shit." Natty hugged him again. "Holy hell, you've got to stop scaring me like that. I'm going to have grey hair by the time I'm twenty-five if this keeps up."

"I'm sorry," Brian said. He pulled Natty's arms off of him, kissed her briefly, and stood up. "Where is she? I want to see her."

He started over to Espeon, but his legs shook too much, and he almost fell. Ash was faster, though, and caught him.

"Easy, Bry," he said. "You _did_ just get choked out. Maybe you should rest for a bit."

"Not yet," Brian answered. "This must be done now, before she recovers. Please…" His eyes begged Ash for help, and Ash could not deny.

Ash nodded. "Okay. But let me help." He let Brian put an arm around his neck and held him up with another around Brian's back. Brian led him to Espeon, the rest of the room's inhabitants following behind.

"This is far enough," Brian said.

"That's good, because we're at the wall."

Brian sighed. "Is this _really_ the time you choose to joke? Honestly? Right now?"

"Sorry," Ash replied with a grimace.

Brian let go of Ash, kneeling next to Espeon. He ran a hand through her fur. "Oh, Espeon… Why did I let you stay out? I should have been faster… maybe then you'd be safe. Maybe—huh?"

He stopped as his hand hit a hard spot on her back, under the fur. He touched it, and it was strangely cold, like a chip of ice had been stuck there. He spread the fur apart with both hands so he could see.

His blood ran cold.

Brian's voice shook with shock and grief. "No… no, no, no… Oh my god. This… This means…" He pounded a fist against the ground. "Damn it! I knew I should have killed him! I knew it, and I still didn't! _Damn it!_"

"Brian, what's wrong?" Natty asked.

"Come look," Brian replied hopelessly.

Natty, Ash, Misty, and Sabrina came closer so they could see. With the fur spread apart, they could see a tiny red gem pressed into her pale lavender skin. Ash and Misty paled, and it took all she had for Natty just to keep her feet.

"Is that…" Misty whispered.

"The Red Chain," Brian confirmed. "Galactic's keystone. I think you can figure out the rest."

"But… all of the Red Chain was destroyed," Misty protested. "And Galactic was broken up. Who could have…"

"It's Quasar," Natty answered. "It has to be."

Sabrina looked back and forth between them in total confusion. "Is someone going to explain all of this to me?"

"Three years ago, Team Galactic found a material called Red Chain," Brian explained. "Fragments of the will of Arceus. In short, a Pokémon touched by the Chain is put under the control of whoever touched them. But there was a man… a man named Quasar. A scientist. He saw what the Chain could do, and he perverted its design to work against humans as well. But as far as I know, he was the only one who knew that was possible besides Cyrus himself, the boss..." He drifted into a memory.

Sabrina interrupted. "But I thought someone took Team Galactic down? It was all over the news."

Ash laughed weakly. "You heard right. That was us." He looked to Brian. "But who was Quasar? I never…"

"You weren't there," Natty explained. "Only Brock, Brian and I ever saw him. He was the one who put Brian under control, remember?"

"I think… you might have said his name once," Misty confirmed hesitantly. "At the end, when—"

"I had him!" Brian's outburst cut through the conversation. "I literally had him at the point of a sword!" He looked over to the weapon, which still lay where he had left it after removing it the night before. "But I couldn't do it. I couldn't kill him, even then. He was begging for his life, and… I let him have it. I've regretted it ever since. He's the one who set off the alarm as we tried to leave, I'm sure. And I never saw his name on the lists of those captured, even though I looked… I thought that I had missed it, or that I didn't know his real name. I should have guessed he had a way out. He even told me—"

"_I suppose that now I'm just a worrier. You see, I like to have a plan B._ _And if Master Cyrus' plan fails, we'll still have a great deal of unused Red Chain material just lying all around, being useless…"_

"—he was practically preparing for Cyrus to fail, and he wasn't going to be the one to take the fall. He's behind this, I'm sure of it. He must have found someone willing to back his research again, made a ton of Red Chain fragments… "

"Even if it is him, it's not your fault, Brian," Misty soothed. "The fact that you weren't willing to murder a helpless old man in cold blood doesn't make this your fault."

"I know," Brian said, adding darkly, "but I won't be making the same mistake again, believe me."

There was a collective flinch at that. Ash stepped forward. "Brian, don't you think that's a bit harsh?"

Brian rounded on him. "Harsh? _Harsh?_ Ash Ketchum, we are talking about a _monster_. He put me under control and ordered me to kill the woman I love and one of my best friends. He tried to get us captured by Team Galactic _seconds_ after I spared his life. And if he is behind this, as I have no doubt he is, he has now captured and perverted two _cities_, including Sabrina's whole family, Master Will, and _your best friend_ _Brock_, and beyond even that almost certainly plans to capture more." He put a finger to Ash's chest. "Listen very carefully, Ash. _He. Deserves. To. Die._" Brushing Ash's attempts to help him aside, Brian walked shakily away from Espeon, taking his sword from the floor and buckling it back onto his side. "And upon my honor, he'll die by my hand. I swear it."

There was a long moment of silence while Brian held out a hand and recalled Espeon. Natty broke it with a murmur of "Brian…"

"Come on," he said, cutting off whatever supplication she had planned. "We should still go train outside for a bit before Lance arrives." He started downstairs.

Sabrina turned to Ash, Misty, and Natty once he was gone. "He's not _normally_ like that, is he?"

"No…" Natty replied, shaking her head. "Never."

"I think the Red Chain coming back has shaken him really bad," Misty said. "The way he's acting… I think it might be what he fears most."

"What makes you think that?" Ash asked.

"His breakdown in Lavender," she answered. "He was almost helpless when he realized that the people were losing themselves to whatever was controlling them. My guess is that being controlled like that affected him more than we've ever thought." She looked at Natty. "It explains how torn up he was when he thought you'd be trapped in Saffron, too."

"But—" Natty began.

"_Oi! Is anyone going to come down here and spar me, or am I just going to have to beat the shit out of some trees?_"

Misty sighed. "He's acting kind of crazy right now, but he's still right. We do need to keep at the top of our game."

"And I _have_ been looking forward to battling him," Ash added.

"Pi pika!" Pikachu grinned and sparked a bit; he felt the same way.

"Gar?"

"Oh… yeah." Ash looked at the three ghosts sheepishly. "Gengar, Gastly… sorry I haven't come visit under normal circumstances. I've been travelling all over the world, but that's no excuse… But I finally reached my dream! I became a Master less than a week ago. So maybe, after this whole mess is sorted out… I'll have more freedom. And I can come visit."

"Gast!" "Gar!" The two came to hug him. (Or float around him, since Gastly had no arms, but whatever.)

Ash laughed. "Thanks, guys. I still can't repay you for all your help."

"Gar Gear!" Gengar smiled and flashed a peace sign.

Sabrina looked at Haunter, who was frowning, glancing between her and his two friends. "You want to stay, don't you, Haunter?"

He looked at her sadly, but nodded.

Sabrina gave him a sad smile back. "I don't blame you. If anything, I'm surprised you stuck around as long as you did. So stay if you'd like. Just don't be a stranger, okay? Visit once in a while!"

"Haunter haunt!" After giving her a creepily wide grin and a lick to the face, Haunter led the three ghosts to the carousel, where they quickly got back to playing as though the past decade had never happened at all.

"_Gonna start killing trees any minute! Only you can prevent one hell of a forest fire I'm about to start!_"

Natty giggled. "Okay, that one was actually pretty hilarious."

"Come on, let's go kick his ass," Misty said with a smile. Ash grinned back and followed her out, with Pikachu, Pachirisu, Natty and Sabrina trailing behind.

* * *

The doors slammed shut behind him with a thunderous crash. He walked quickly into the circle of light and knelt, keeping his head down as he had been ordered.

"Speak."

"One of the five targets you requested was captured in the raid on Saffron City, sir. I have him—"

"Fool. Of course I know that. I know_ all_ of those linked by the Chain. And I know that he is waiting outside. Bring him in!"

"Of course, sir." He stood, but before he could even stand and turn, the doors behind him had already been flung open, and the former Leader Brock was standing beside him.

"I was not talking to you. I am quite capable of having the doors opened and one of my many subjects brought before me _without_ your help. You may go now, Giovanni. Ensure that preparations for the next wave of attacks do not require any more of my input. I can only control so much directly."

"Yes, sir." Without another word, Giovanni bowed again and backed out of the room, closing the doors behind him.

Brock stood in obedient silence in the dark room for a few minutesm his captor glaring at him through the darkness. Then he was ordered, "Do not move, but remember yourself."

Instantly Brock was breathing heavily, and his heart rate spiked. He began to rail at his captor. "Who are you? Where am I? What are—"

"_Silence._"

And Brock was silent, though now a muted red light shone from three places: Brock's eyes, the red gem pressed into the wrist of his left arm, and a third gem at the front of the room he was currently in. Peering through the gloom, Brock could barely make out the figure of a man illuminated by the pale glow.

"This is stupid," the voice stated. "I will never understand why Giovanni enjoyed having the lights like this so much." There was a quiet click, and the room went from near-total darkness to bright illumination.

An old man sat behind an oak desk at the back of the room. He was dressed all in white, with white hair; the only points of color on him were two spots of red on the palms of his hands.

Brock's eyes bulged, and he trembled with fury. He knew this man.

"Welcome, Brock," Quasar said with a bright smile. "It's been too long, has it not? I've been looking all over for you. Although, to be honest, I'm surprised to have found you already." He looked down at a file on his desk. "My records show you live and work in Pewter City. I suppose it was a good thing you decided to visit Saffron City, no?" He chuckled as Brock fumed silently. "I really do need to thank you, you know. Even though you _wrecked_ my plans last time." His voice turned bitter at the end, and his happy face finally went sour. "You, and your little bitch of a friend, and that… that _damned_ boy with his stupid stick. And I suppose I should include your other allies Ash and Misty as well, even if they weren't there when you freed my prototype. But!" His frown jumped back to a manic cheer. "You did show me how brittle the first stage Red Chains were, a lesson that I'm sure Cyrus would have loved to have known as well. With that in mind, I made sure that _this_ generation's fragments don't fall apart just because you hit them too hard… or shock them, or burn them, or freeze them, or any other myriad ways one might try to free my servants. And since it was _you_ who inadvertently showed me that when you broke the shard controlling Brian, I have a reward for you: I _won't_ make you torture yourself."

Brock started to sweat right about then.

"Instead, I plan to have you torture the other four for me… once they've been captured, of course." Quasar gave him an insane grin. "Won't that be _fun?_"

Seeing the outrage and despair in Brock's eyes, he amended, "Well, not for _you_. Certainly not for them. Mostly for me, when I find the time to watch. I promise, though, that even though you'll all be totally under my control, you'll all have your minds intact. I wouldn't want you to miss that, now, would I? What's the fun in watching you suffer if you aren't even aware of it? But, sadly, I really don't need you to be aware for this next part. I just wanted you to know exactly what to expect after I've won this little war I'm starting. Something to think about… For now, I'll banish you back to whatever mental catacomb you go to when I take total control. So…" Quasar gave him a cheery wave as his hands began to glow. "Ta ta for now!"

If Brock could have screamed, he would have as the red light forced him down, down, down into darkness, until only his shell was left.

"You may speak," Quasar added when the deed was done.

"Thank you, sir," Brock said mechanically. "What would you like me to say?"

"I'm glad you asked." Quasar leaned forward, clasping his hands in earnest. "You see, even as you are you can provide me with a wealth of information." He picked up five files on his desk and shook them. "These documents tell me a great deal about the five chief targets I have been searching for since I began: Ash Ketchum, Misty Waterflower, Brian Edwards, Natalia Brown, and of course you, Brock Slate. I have birth certificates, hometowns, lists of important family members and close friends, Pokémon ownership records, essentially anything anyone has written down about them. It's useful… to a point. But what I don't have is what I truly _need_, something only one of the five can provide: their desires, their loves, their strengths, their weaknesses. _That_, above all else, is the information I need to hurt them or trick them enough that I can capture all of them and render my vengeance. And that you will tell me."

"As you wish, sir."

Quasar flipped a switch on his desk, setting a red light blinking. Clearing his throat, he clearly intoned "Interview with Brock Slate. Subject: Target connections and vulnerabilities. Now, Brock." He leveled eyes on the breeder. "Tell me about your friends."

"Of course, sir. Where would you like me to begin?"

Quasar leaned back in his chair with a smile. "Oh, let's start with something simple... the one you've known the longest, and whom I know the least of…

"Tell me about Ash Ketchum."

* * *

**Population Infected (Kanto): 30.827%**

* * *

**Notes:**

First impression: There was _so much crying_ in this chapter. I guess it all made sense, but still. Overload. Oh, and I should say, that's not Sabrina's normal personality. Like, at all. I'd have liked to introduce her in a normal light, but instead it happened in the middle of a crisis when she was already breaking down before she even appeared. She'll be much less emo in later chapters, I promise! And yes, she'll stick around, for reasons that we will explore further in chapter four.

Which brings me to the whole Brock/Sabrina… thing. It's one of the few Brock pairings I find plausible, since Brock pushes away almost every girl he meets by basically proposing to them first and asking questions never. But his first encounter with Sabrina would keep him from doing that to her and her alone. Would they hit it off? Depends. We don't get much of her personality canonized, but she's usually depicted as a mix of the two personalities she was split into in the show: a childishly playful side, and a heavy, serious side. There's potential there—and that's enough.

It occurs to me that I've widened my scope of impact. By which I mean, OCAD changed nothing in the lives of Sinnoh's populace overall. Sure, Galactic was gone, and that was good for the people, but for the most part they went about life as normal. Certainly it wasn't anything socially important And now? We're up to chapter three, and Kanto has lost two cities out of ten (excluding the Indigo Plateau). You see that number up there? That means for every ten people in Kanto, three are under the control of Quasar. And that number's still rising. This one's gonna be one for the history books, folks.

Hm… this was fun. I really enjoyed this chapter. Not as much as I'll enjoy chapter… oh… chapter six will be pretty awesome. Same with most of ten. Or not! I really don't know for sure yet. These are just rough sketches.

And somehow I've finished ahead of schedule! Go me!

So, next chapter… it'll happen at the Indigo Plateau for about half, and then shift to a different city that I choose not to reveal. Accordingly, it will be about half exposition/politics/romance/WhateverElseICramIn and half action. What will happen? Will someone... _die_? And why am I asking you these questions? _I'm_ the writer!

Well, that's all for this installment. Thanks for sticking around for however long you have! (And if you've been here since the beginning of OCAD, you get six theoretical cookies. And a smile!)

: )

**No one else can look at the smile!**

In closing: please, click the button! Leave a review! I need to know how I can improve! I will stagnate without input! Help me help you help me help the story!

And that's it from me! Ta ta for now!

James, a.k.a. FTEcho 4


	4. Best Laid Plans

**Infection**

_Chapter Four: Best Laid Plans_

* * *

**Population Infected (Kanto): 30.841%**

* * *

The first thing they noticed was the eyes.

Determination is a prerequisite for becoming a Master. The ability to fight through all obstacles, defy the odds, and always keep going: it is something that separates the champions and the fallen. There were times when it was only that will to continue that kept Ash and Misty going on their journey to bring him back to life. Brian had it. So did Natalia and Sabrina and Brock. It was one of the things that made them movers and shakers in the world, something that lifted them above and beyond the populace as a whole. But over all of them, absolutely exuding confidence and strength with every step he took, was the man who had held Kanto's highest honor for over a decade: Lance, the Dragon Master.

So seeing how empty, how hopelessly dim Lance's ever-fierce eyes had become over the last twenty-four hours was an immediate blow to the whole group assembled to watch his Dragonite land at Lavender Tower.

But Lance was all business as he leapt to the ground, dimly lit up by the flickering flames of Ash's and Brian's two Charizard. "You're ready to go?"

Ash stepped forward. "We are. But…" He hesitated.

"Are you still okay, Lance?" Misty asked. "You've been going all night, and part of that was a battle. Can't you rest for a few moments, at least?"

"I…" Lance let his eyes roam over the people around him, seeing so much emotion in each of them: fear, concern, grief, pain and loss and anger, all churning and turning just beneath the surface, yearning for _action_, for some way to move forward and fight. And yet even with all of that, they were offering him respite.

Too bad he couldn't take it.

"I'm… very tired," Lance admitted, allowing his shoulders to sag and raising a hand to his head for a moment. "I tried to rest while I waited in Vermillion, but there was too much in my head. There still is. But that doesn't matter. My comfort and even my life are absolutely inconsequential in the face of what we must do."

"Sir?" Natalia asked quietly, meeting Lance's eyes with her own. "Do you think… can anything be done?"

Lance broke from her gaze, turning away for a long moment. "I do not know," he said finally, bowing his head. "We will do our best, but with Saffron taken… there may be no real course of action. There are only so many of us who can fight. Only so many who _will_ fight, when the time comes. And it seems that every person against us who can walk is moving to spread the infection… It's bad. The worst thing I've ever heard of. It's not the end of the world, not yet… but you can definitely see it from here."

"Just shut up, Lance."

Lance snapped back to look at Brian in surprise. He had a hand on his fearful partner's shoulder, and he was positively steaming.

"Yeah, I know you're right. It's bad times for everyone," Brian agreed. "But you can't go around telling people it's the end of the damn world! We _need _hope, Lance. And I promise you, whatever battle is coming, you're going to be leading it. People are going to be looking to you for strength. You can't let them down!" His eyes softened. "Just trust us, okay? We've saved the world once or twice before. One more time won't kill any of us. If anything, having the League for help should just make things easier. So don't lose hope… together, we're stronger than we seem. As long as we stay strong at heart, we'll pull through."

Lance took a deep breath, and with that he seemed to inflate until he stood tall again, and the Master that they had all at some point admired returned. "You're right. I won't let Kanto fall on my account. But if that is what I must do, then we have to go now." He pulled two Pokéballs free, releasing two winged beasts: a massive Aerodactyl, and yet another Charizard that stood nearly a foot taller than the two already out.

The lights flashed again before dimming dramatically as Ash and Brian both withdrew their Pokémon and the light they had provided. "How much can they take?" Ash asked.

"Two apiece," Lance replied. "Dragonite might be able to handle more, but there's no reason to unbalance the loads. I'm asking enough of them as it is."

Charizard huffed in agreement.

"Well, okay then." Ash glanced warily at Aerodactyl, swallowing fear at the sight of the creature's fangs. He grasped Misty's wrist, pulling her with him as he took a step away from the ancient monster. "I'll just… be with Misty. On Charizard. Right, Myst?"

She looked at him strangely. "If that's what you want, then fine."

Sabrina walked evenly to Dragonite, laying a hand on his neck. "I will ride with you, Lance," she proclaimed. He nodded his assent.

Natty turned her head, glancing back at Brian. He shrugged. "Looks like we're stuck together."

She sighed heavily. "Oh, all right. If I must."

"Hmm… can they really navigate all the way to the Plateau through this darkness?" Sabrina asked.

"Hey, they got here, right?" Brian countered.

Misty looked up into the pitch black sky. Not even the moon was visible through the blanket of clouds. "Yeah, but we were close by, and I'm guessing the fifty foot jets of fire Komodo and Ash's Charizard were firing everywhere didn't hurt either. A cross-country trip with no landmarks… that's another story."

"Don't worry about it," Lance assured. "It may be dark now, but if we stick together and keep moving towards our goal, the night will be over before we know it. By the time we get close, the sun will guide us home."

Satisfied, the six climbed onto their mounts.

Lance looked towards his Charizard, where Ash, Misty, and Pikachu waited for his lead. "Since you have the light from Charizard's tail, you three will lead the way. You know which way to go?"

Misty held out one arm, pointing straight east, then adjusted it north a bit. "About… that way, right?"

Lance nodded. "Close enough to start. Take off!"

Dust blew up from the path as three sets of wings opened and flexed, sending torrents of wind around them. The riders braced themselves, each holding onto their companion or their ride, as they took to the sky. Thirty seconds later, Charizard led the way east, and they left Lavender Tower behind them.

Ash spared a glance behind them as the tower faded into the distance. He had long since come to see Gengar and Gastly almost as—hell, _as_ family. Leaving them behind was never easy.

Noticing his gaze, Misty gave him a comforting squeeze. "You'll be back," she promised.

"Pi."

Ash smiled briefly. "Yeah." Then it vanished as he added, "I just wonder when."

Neither of his companions had an answer to that.

* * *

The trip went smoothly, at least for the most part. They took turns sleeping (except for Lance, who for all of his bravado was out for nearly the whole trip) and directing the formation. There were a few moments of notice: they had to make a hard turn and a dive to avoid a large (and almost certainly Chained) group on the ground at one point, and a few bitter tears were shed when they spotted Saffron City near the southern horizon. But to make a long journey short, at just shy of eleven in the morning, the three Pokémon touched down outside the League Headquarters at the Indigo Plateau. After a quick recall, Lance led them inside.

They walked briskly past the guards at the front door, stopping only for a moment to verify Natty's identity (the attendants knew the other five on sight) and drop off their Pokémon at the resident Center before proceeding to a lounge to regroup.

Lance only took them as far as the door. "I need you all to wait here," he said. "I've got to see who's here, where the meeting is, and what's happened in Kanto since I had contact. I'll be back as fast as I can." Without even waiting for a reply, he ran off towards his office.

"Oh, thank Din!" Natty exclaimed. She ran away down the spacious hall. "Bathroom break!"

Misty and Sabrina looked at one another. "You…" Sabrina started.

"I have a bit more tact than her, but yes," Misty replied, slightly embarrassed. The two of them walked after their overenthusiastic friend.

Meanwhile, Ash, Pikachu (who had absolutely refused to stay at the Center) and Brian walked into the lounge. There were three couches angled towards a blank television, and two recliners with an empty chessboard between them. The humans sat down across from each other, each sinking into one of the plush recliners.

"Finally," Brian muttered.

"'Finally'? It wasn't _that_ long a trip," Ash replied. "And at least we got to sleep last night. I hope Lance…" he trailed off.

Brian smirked. "Hmph. Wasn't talking about the trip. I've been waiting to get you away from Misty since the alley yesterday. It's like you two are joined at the hip sometimes, at least when you're not joined at the lips. So… can I see the ring?"

Pikachu flew out of Ash's lap as he stood up violently. "What?" He exclaimed. "I don't know what—"

"Sit down, you idiot, you're making a scene!" Brian hissed. Ash reluctantly reclaimed his seat. Pikachu, however, refused to get in his lap again, curling up in a separate couch instead.

"Here's what I've noticed," Brian explained. He drummed his fingers against the arm of the chair. "One, you were really fidgety when I was talking about proposing yesterday, and you kept sneaking glances at Misty. Two, you sounded disappointed instead of happy for us at first, which makes no sense unless there was something else on your mind right then. But three, and most importantly, I've seen you touch or knead or worry something in your pocket about nine thousand times in the past _day_. Either you have an engagement ring in your pocket or you're planning to kill me or Natty, and I'm _really_ hoping it's the former so I don't have to strangle you."

Ash cocked his head in confusion. "Is it… is it really that obvious?"

"Not really. I'm just very observant when I choose to be," Brian replied. "Which brings us back to point A: can I see it?"

Ash hesitated for a moment, looking towards the door. Then he stood again and reached into his pocket to take out a blue velvet box. He handed it to Brian, adding "Be careful with it."

"No duh." Brian accepted the box. "It's like you think I'm an idiot sometimes." He flipped it open to examine the ring. It was made of two thin silvery bands, which twisted around each other until they terminated by spiraling around a sapphire. "Hm. Nice design. I'd call it a bit on the small side, though…"

"Misty hates gaudy stuff, especially jewelry," Ash immediately defended heatedly. "And that ring is platinum, so don't think I skimped out on her, either! It wasn't cheap..."

Brian's eyes widened a bit at that. "You don't say… Well, you would know what she likes if anyone would. And calm down, for Arceus' sake. I wasn't accusing you of anything." He tossed the box back to Ash, who scrambled to catch it with a short cry and a scowl. "So… why isn't Misty wearing it yet? Do you honestly think she would turn you down if you asked?"

Ash kept up his glare for another few moments as he put the ring back away. Then he sighed, and sat again with his head down. "Nah… Sometimes when I do something stupid and she yells I wonder, but whenever I really sit down and ask myself, I know she'd want it too. We've been travelling together and happy together for almost four years, and the one time we've been apart during that it killed us both. There's a part of me that says it wouldn't change anything. And yet… I can't bring myself to ask. I've been trying, but what if I screw it up? What if I'm wrong and it changes everything, and we can't take it? What if she wants to settle down, but I don't, and we get in a fight and I leave her and go out to train and then I die in a freak Pokémon attack and she has to work at a restaurant to raise a kid with no dad? Or what if… Well, you get the idea."

"Uh…" Brian stared. "That last one made no sense, but other than that, yes, I get the idea." He leaned back. "I know I've thought those things… well, some of those things. I still do. We're human. We worry. It's kind of our thing."

"So how did you get past it?" Ash asked.

"If you're recall, I didn't. _She _did, even if I was planning to. Now, would I still have asked that night? I think so. But in the end, does it matter? We're still happy. My dad…" Brian reclined the chair further until he was looking at the ceiling. "When I was a kid and I asked why he got married, he told me you marry someone when you stop thinking of yourself as 'me' but rather as one part of 'us.' I've been there with Natty for ages. Not that that way is foolproof either… people always change. But you can't wait for foolproof. Eventually, you either have to take the chance or stop trying. I decided I'd rather work for the best with Natalia than just hope everything worked out. And apparently, so did she."

Ash thought hard (not his favorite pastime, to be sure, but desperate times…). "I think… I know what you mean. I had a hard time when Misty left… not because I needed her to train or cook or anything specific like that. I just didn't feel like _me_ when she wasn't around. How I act around her is as much a part of me as the color of my eyes. Without her, I didn't even feel like I could brush my teeth right some days. I guess being married wouldn't change anything between us, then. It would just be telling the world what we already know. Maybe I should stop waiting for the right moment and just ask her…" He sighed. "Of course, this is all moot right now, what with the apocalypse and all."

"Not you, too," Brian groaned. "Have a little hope, Ash! _We. Always. Win._ How have you not noticed this by now?"

Ash frowned at him. "It's still serious, Brian. Even Lance was at a loss today. I've never seen him so worried."

"So? You beat him. Logically, you should be better." He smirked and sat up. "Besides, we weren't there. Even surprised, the three of us held our own in Lavender. I think you're just underestimating exactly how badass we are together. Quasar is totes screwed."

"Oh, just shut up!" Ash snapped, his patience finally cracking through. "There's a difference between being hopeful and just ignoring everything bad that's happened! You said it yourself! Two cities are captured; _a quarter of Kanto_, and that's if we've been lucky. Will's captured. We lost Brock, Sabrina's lost her family, and yet you're acting like it's just another battle with Team Rocket!"

Brian glared at him. "Well, that _would_ be—"

"No. _I'm_ talking now, and you're listening," Ash huffed. "You keep talking about how smart you are: do the math! We barely escaped from the people of Lavender. Is there any way we can stop two million _anythings_ from laying waste to all of Kanto, short of mass murder?" Brian looked away from Ash, staring sullenly at his feet. Ash threw up his hands. "Well? Come on! Let's hear the jackass braniac's answer!"

"There's no way, okay?" Brian exclaimed. His head shot up again, all the arrogance in his eyes replaced by a manic sort of fear. "Is that what you want? You want me to tell you what I really think? Fine. It can't be done, and I know it, and I've known it since Lance called last night. But _maybe_ I don't want to accept that. Maybe that thought frightens me so much that I'd rather deny it and say it'll be easy. And maybe if I can get everyone to believe it'll be that easy, that will make it true. After all, if Quasar's really in control, then all we have to do is stop him or kill him, right?" Brian laughed bitterly. "So we just have to find one man in a crowd of two million, assuming that he's dumb enough to come out in the first place and leave himself no protection. Piece of cake, right? No problem for us, _right?_"

Ash fidgeted uncomfortably. "Well, there's no need for that… There may be _some_ way to stop the attackers without killing them…"

"Oh, no. Don't play that game, Ash," Brian warned. "You wanted to face the facts; there they are. You called it the apocalypse, and if that's what he wants, that's what Quasar can create right now. Right now we're all just hoping for a miracle, some lucky change for the better, and if we don't get it, we might as well give up!"

"What's all the yelling about?"

"Huh?" Ash and Brian looked back towards the door. Misty stood in the doorway with Sabrina and Natty behind her.

"We heard you yelling all the way down the hall," Misty repeated. "What's it all about?"

"Oh! It's… nothing!" Brian claimed, sporting a quick and shaky smile. "I was just… uh…"

"He was bragging about how easily we're going to save Kanto!" Ash covered. He looked back at Brian and grinned. "Right?"

"Yeah!" Brian smacked a fist into his palm. "We'll fight our way through to Quasar and take him down, and save everyone held by the Red Chain! I just know it!"

"Good," Misty said. "It's good to see you back to your normal, arrogant self, Brian. What you said to Lance was right: we all need to stay strong, or we'll crumble."

"Right," Brian agreed, though his smile faltered a bit. Then he frowned. "Hey! Arrogant?"

"You _do _tend towards it a bit sometimes, dear," Natty agreed. She went to sit on the couch next to Pikachu as Misty and Sabrina took one of the other two.

"Heh. You got told," Ash taunted.

"You can't talk either, Mr. 'I beat Lance so the rules don't apply to me' Ketchum," Misty interjected.

Brian laughed. "Ha! Suck it, Ash!" The two of them glared at each other, then pointedly looked away as they retook their seats.

They sat for a few moments in silence, each of the five taking a few moments to think and rest.

"Misty?" Sabrina reached out and touched her shoulder. For some reason, Misty catapulted away from her, her hand over her heart. Sabrina recoiled in shock. "What? I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"No!" Misty took a breath and sat back down. "No, it's not your fault. I just had a bit of a flashback for a second. I mean…" Misty met Sabrina's eyes. "You have to remember, last time I saw you, you turned me and Brock into _dolls_. I know, you've changed, but it's still a little weird to just talk to you."

Natty stared. "Wait, wait, wait. She turned who into _what_, now?"

"I, too, am very interested," Brian added, craning his neck around the chair with wide eyes.

Sabrina groaned. "Yes, I did that, and I never really got to apologize to you, Misty. I was so happy to be myself again that it never occurred to me until you were gone. I _am_ sorry about that, and if I had been normal I never would have thought of it. Not that it matters anymore."

"Why doesn't it matter? I had no _idea_ you had that kind of power!" Brian exclaimed. "That kind of thing could be a major advantage!"

"Well, you may as well forget, then, because I don't have it," she replied. "I'm nowhere near as strong as I was back then."

"Why not?" Misty asked.

"Because my psychosis manifested as a desire to become stronger, more focused, at the expense of absolutely everything else. All the parts of me that didn't fit with that mindset got shunted into the doll personality that I carried with me. But when you and Ash and Brock made me better, I lost that focus. That made me worse instantly. Then I stopped meditating and practicing for hours a day, which has made me get progressively worse ever since. I still teleport everywhere, so I've kept that skill up, and I still practice my telekinesis. But other than those things, I've let it all slip away." She pulled her legs into her chest and set her head between her knees. "I never wanted to be psychic, you know. It drove people away. All I had was my family, and it took a long time before I learned that was enough. It's just been in the last few weeks that I've made _any_ friends other than my Pokémon. And now I've lost my family, my Pokémon, and even Brock… I'm alone again."

The room was silent. What do you say to the person who's lost everything they care about?

Slowly, very slowly, Misty reached out a hand to Sabrina, wrapped an arm around her back, and leaned into an embrace. A moment later, she felt another arm over hers, and she could see Natty at the edge of her vision; she even felt Pikachu trying to snuggle in between them. Her voice was thick as Misty spoke. "Sabrina. I can't promise you a lot. I wish I could. I wish I could promise you we'll save your family. And I really, really wish I could promise to get back Brock. But there's too much in the air right now, and telling you any of that would be cheap, because we both know that I can't say any of it for sure. But this I'll promise you: as long as we're here, you are _not_ alone."

Sabrina trembled once, just a tiny bit, and her shell cracked for a moment; two tears fell between her knees and quickly vanished into the deep fabric. "Th… thank you. I can't tell you… just… thank you. I—"

There was a knock at the door.

Lance stood in the hall, looking extremely uncomfortable. "Sorry to interrupt… but it's time. Are you all ready?"

"Yes, we are." Sabrina shrugged off Misty and Natty and stood up, her shell back in place. If not for the last tears she wiped away from her slightly red eyes, one could have said the few minutes before hadn't happened at all.

Ash and Brian joined their respective partners, and Pikachu regained his seat on Ash's shoulder. They faced Lance, who nodded once.

"Come with me. I'll fill you in on the way."

They filed after Lance, forming a loose group behind him as they walked down a side path off of the main hall, deep into the inner workings of League HQ.

"We have no new information, really," Lance said. "Saffron appears empty, and there are a few groups like the one we saw on our way here spread around. But as to what they're doing, we have no idea."

"So who is _we_?" Ash asked.

"The senior League members. Myself, Bruno, Lorelei, Karen, and Koga. Normally we'd include Blaine, but we can't reach him right now. He trains in absolute solitude, so he may be out of contact for the next few days. However, everyone else has gathered. All the current Masters are here save Agatha, as well as leaders from Vermillion, Celadon, Viridian, Fuchsia, and Cerulean cities."

"Wait, Cerulean? My sisters are here?" Misty exclaimed.

Lance halted for a moment at a crossroad and looked around. "Not all of them, but Daisy has come to represent your home gym. Violet and Lily remained in Cerulean." Apparently he saw what he was looking for, as he muttered something under his breath and waved them along to the left.

Misty seemed disheartened for a moment, but quickly rebounded. "That's just as well. She's the only one who can stay serious about anything for more than five seconds, anyway."

Lance stopped abruptly before an unassuming wood door. "We're here."

"This is it?" Brian asked skeptically. "Just… a room? No big meeting hall?"

"We're trying to stay covert," Lance explained. He took out a key and unlocked the door. "We have a hall, but it's open to the public, and this isn't a public meeting." He hesitated for a moment before turning to Natalia. "Which reminds me: Ms. Brown?"

Natty fought the urge to quail under his stony gaze and instead forced herself to display as much bravado as she could. "What, Lance?"

His lips formed a thin line for a moment. "I would have preferred to have left you at the door, to be honest." Both Natty and Brian nearly interrupted him in anger, but he held up a hand and drove them both into smoldering silence. "_But_ your status as one of the very small number of witnesses to the attacks, in addition to your… relationship… to Master Edwards, has left me little choice but to allow you entry. However, as you are not a member of the League, I cannot enforce a vow of silence for you. All I can ask is a promise. So, Natalia: do you swear to keep any information that you hear, see, or read in this meeting to yourself, excepting only contact with those present here?"

"I…" For a moment, she almost told him no simply on principle, but it occurred to her that (like it or not) she had very little choice in the matter: if he wanted to, Lance could simply have her escorted out of the building. "I swear I will."

Lance sighed in relief. "Thank you. Well, then. Let's go." He opened the door.

The meeting room was extremely bland: there was a long wooden table running down the length, a few landscapes on the walls, and nothing else. Around the table sat the assembled leaders and Masters available. The head was empty, waiting for Lance. Down the left side sat the Leaders: Lieutenant Surge, Bruno, Koga, Erika, an empty seat for Sabrina and finally Misty's sister Daisy. On the right were the assembled Masters: Lorelei, Karen, and a curious figure with a plain red and white hat pulled low over his eyes who slouched, his arms crossed, in the seat at Lance's right hand.

As Lance entered with his party in tow, the group (sans the red-hatted man) started to stand. He waved them back down as he took his spot at the head of the table. Sabrina took her designated spot, Misty sat at the other end next to her sister, and Ash, Natty, and Brian filled in beside her.

"Did you manage to contact Blaine?" Karen, Dark master and Lance's second in command, was the first to speak.

"I'm afraid not," Lance answered. "He's completely cut off from contact. Didn't even tell his gym assistants where he was going this time. He'll be told to contact us as soon as he returns from his training."

"Hmph." Lorelei pressed her glasses up over a grim frown. "Sounds like the old man is letting his duties slip away from him."

"It will be addressed after the current crisis is ended," Lance agreed. "But now is not the time for that."

"So what _is_ it the time for?" Lieutenant Surge asked, more than a hint of aggravation in his already gruff voice. "I cut off a perfectly good training day for this, and I expect to be told why!"

"Just calm down there, buddy." Bruno, the only person at the table who might have been able to take Surge in a brawl, put a massive hand on his friend's equally massive shoulder. "Trust me, it's worth losing a day to hear this. It's a mite more important."

Surge grumbled, but was quiet.

"Indeed," Lance agreed. "For those of you who don't already know, I won't mince any words: last night, most or all of the inhabitants of Saffron City and Lavender Town were captured."

There was a long moment of silence.

Then Lieutenant Surge burst out laughing. "Bull-fucking-shit," he claimed. "How the hell would that be done? Did the Pied Piper spirit them all away in the night?"

"Shut the hell up, Lieutenant!" Lance snapped angrily; his patience had long since worn thin. Even Surge cringed under his glare. "Now… the exact method they used is still not quite clear, but the inhabitants were all put under some sort of control that spread person-to-person. It was spread very slowly into the residents of Lavender Town. Our first hint of any problem was, in fact, a report of strange behavior in the citizens of that town. But by the time we sent any assistance to them, it was far too late."

Erika of Celadon made a small noise for attention so her quiet voice would be heard. "What did we send?"

"Masters Brian Edwards, Ash Ketchum, and Misty Waterflower were sent to investigate," Lance elaborated. The three in question shrank a bit in their seats as the collective gaze of the group descended upon them.

"Why did you send such a small force for this task, Lance?" Koga asked. "Surely a threat of this magnitude demanded a larger response."

"The threat was only revealed upon their arrival." The leader looked down at the table. "It is regretful that we did not send an appropriate response, which might have made the difference… but there's nothing to be done for it now." He looked up to the three Masters in question. "As for what they saw in Lavender, I feel that is a tale better heard from their mouths directly. In addition, we have two witnesses to the attacks in Saffron, other than myself, Karen, and Lorelei. Sabrina was at her gym at the time of the attack, and Natalia Brown was operating a breeding center. As far as we know, they are the only two humans to escape from Saffron."

A murmur rose from the group at that. The thought of exactly how many people they were talking about hadn't really struck them until now: if only two people had escaped, then how many _hadn't_?

"I will give the floor to Ash, Misty, and Brian, and we'll go from there. I'll give an account of my own experiences in Saffron last night for the group last." Lance gestured across the table, then sat down expectantly.

Ash rose first, with Misty and Brian following soon after. They looked around at each other and the impatiently waiting group before them, not knowing where to start. Then Misty locked eyes with her sister. Daisy smiled at her and nodded once: she was confident in her sister, even if Misty herself wasn't. A small gesture, perhaps, but it gave her the boost she needed to begin.

"Ash, Brian, and I were sent to Lavender Town yesterday afternoon," she started. "We were instructed to survey the town and its inhabitants however we saw fit over the next few days. We started, and later finished, by interviewing people at random. That was when we first noticed something wrong…"

Misty took the lead for her friends, covering most of what had happened. Ash and Brian threw in their own information at times, but for the most part they left it to her. She covered everything she could think of: the "empty" residents, the strange trainers and the old terrified shopkeeper, the people trapping and attacking them, and their escape. The three of them then sat down, allowing Natty and Sabrina to tell their part, but it wasn't long before it became apparent that Natty wasn't really necessary: Sabrina had seen everything she had and more, and she her sixth sense gave her a better perspective to boot. She hardly added three words to Sabrina's view before they reached the point at the tower and Brian took over.

He stood up again alone, cutting off Lance's similar attempt. Lance looked at him in confusion. "What more do you have to tell?" He asked.

"There was one event that took place between our final conversation with Lance last night and our meeting," Brian explained. "I was attacked by my own Espeon. During the attack on Lavender Town, I…" He closed his eyes with a pained expression for a moment, but it passed even before he moved on. "I left her exposed for too long. She was infected when the mob attacked her, and so when I tried to let Sabrina borrow her for protection, she tried to strangle me."

Another disturbed murmur arose. A Pokémon playfully or even angrily attacking a trainer was rare, but not unheard of. But a direct attempt on their life?

"Ash, Misty, and Natalia were able to subdue her before I was fully asphyxiated," he went on. "But before I returned her, I found something in her fur: a piece of the Red Chain."

There were a few looks of understanding now: apparently Lance, Karen, and Lorelei knew something of this. But the rest were totally blank. "And?" Koga asked, arching an eyebrow.

Ash joined Brian, realizing the point he was trying to get across. "So, when we battled Team Galactic, they used the Red Chain to control a bunch of legendary Pokémon from Sinnoh, and one of their scientists managed to use it on one person. Plus, we believe that scientist escaped capture. What we're saying is that we know what's controlling people: they've been affected by the Red Chain!"

There was a burst of energetic chatter as everyone tried to speak at once, all of them asking the same question. They tripped over one another, looked around, and eventually segued into an uneasy quiet. It was quickly broken by Erika, who softly voiced the question they all had: "If it is the same Red Chain you saw before, then how can it be stopped?"

The four who had seen it before looked at each other. It didn't take long for them to realize the truth.

"We… have no idea," Misty admitted.

Natalia elaborated further. "Last time all it took to break the crystal was a pretty hard hit, whether with electricity, force, psychic power…"

"Or a haymaker to the face," Brian added with a weak half-smile.

"But we hit Espeon with all that and more yesterday," Ash finished. "And we only discovered the Chain piece after the attack, so it didn't break. Something's different about it this time."

The energy in the room left as quickly as it had come. "Bah," Koga scoffed, waving a flippant hand at them. "What use is knowing what is causing the attacks if it doesn't help us combat them?"

"There is no knowledge that is not power. We only need to learn where it can be used."

Lance appeared completely stupefied, staring with his mouth half open at the nameless man to his right; that was literally the longest statement that Lance had ever heard out of him outside of a battle. But the figure gave no more indication that he was even paying attention to the meeting.

Lance collected himself and cleared his throat. "Um, yes. I agree. As little as we know, _any _new information is critical at this point. We don't know what seemingly insignificant fact will lead us to a solution. Try to be a bit more open-minded, Koga."

The Poison leader grunted sourly in response.

"Now… Last night, as I've said, Saffron was attacked. Myself, Karen, Lorelei, Will, and Red were all available, and we went to defend the town however we could."

"Why weren't the Leaders told about this?" Surge demanded. "We would have come, too!"

"The cell towers in the area were taken offline in the first stages of the attack," Lance explained. "I called the Masters first, en route, and was losing signal by the time I got down to Lorelei. We would have called everyone if we could, although I don't know if it would have helped."

Daisy spoke for the first time. "So what happened? And if Master Will was, like, with you, where did he go?"

"The defense was a catastrophic failure," Lance admitted. "We did all we could to hold back the attack, but we were hopelessly outnumbered. There were enough trainers present to wear us down by attrition alone. And…. We lost Will. He tried to hold them off telekinetically even after his last Pokémon fell, but he pushed himself too far and fainted from exhaustion. They were on him before we even had time to register that he'd fallen. After that, we remaining four retreated: Saffron was far beyond help, and we would have done no good if we had fallen in a hopeless battle."

"So you just left 'em to die?" Lieutenant Surge stood up in anger, slamming his hands down on the table and making everyone jump. "What kind of Master are you? You'd abandon your people like that?"

"Sit down."

"Not until—"

"_Now._"

And Surge sat down.

Lance's head hung low, his fists clenched on the table, and he was visibly shaking as some repressed emotion pushed to break free; whether it was barely concealed rage, crushing despair, or hatred of himself, they couldn't tell, but it was clearly tearing him apart. Ash found himself somewhat amazed he had kept so calm thus far, if this had been under the surface all along.

"We did what we had to do," Karen growled in his defense, her eyes flashing angrily at the Electric leader. "No one is happy about it, and damn it, you didn't have to go through what we did!" She shuddered.

All the remaining Masters, as well as Natty and Sabrina, glared at him. "You've never had to fight an enemy you couldn't try to hurt, one who could control you if you made one mistake," Ash accused. "Don't act like you could have fought off an army where they couldn't!"

Surge glowered. "Don't lecture me, kid."

"That's enough." Lance pierced through varied retorts from Natty, Sabrina, and Misty. He raised his head and glared across the table, forcing everyone into uneasy silence. "Surge, I don't want to hear another word. Not one word. I _can _and_ will_ have you thrown out if you keep this up." He sighed. "These are trying times. If we can't stand together, we'll fall apart. We must remember that. Saffron… we each went our own ways and tried to stop individual groups, and we all know how that went. We lost a lot of people… All because we couldn't protect them. Because we weren't strong enough." With sudden furious energy, he slammed a fist into the table. "_We must not let it happen again!_"

"How?" Lorelei burst out. "You were _there_, Lance. We could have had ten times as many of us there. Five or fifty, it wouldn't have mattered. And then… that was against just Lavender, a small town. How can we hold off so many people? The only way to stop them would be to kill them… and even then, even _if_ we resorted to… to slaughter…" The word seemed to putrefy her very lips as she spoke it. "Even if we were willing to cause so much suffering, _could_ we? I can't—not even won't, but literally can not— kill a hundred thousand people single-handed, and even _that_ wouldn't be enough if it was only everyone here. If they press hard, we can't stop them, no matter what we're willing to do. Maybe…" She looked troubled. "Maybe we should just accept that we've already lost, and try to save as many people as we can before Kanto comes crashing down around us."

Lance shook his head. "No. I can't believe that. If we start thinking that way, then we really _have_ already lost. We can't give up. Pewter… Viridian… Fuschia and Cerulean and Celadon and Vermillion… if we fail, it's they who will pay for it. Us? We're the travelers: if it comes down to it, we can always run away to fight another day. But normal people can't. Their lives are with their families and their jobs and their homes. If we ask them to leave because we can't help them, they leave all of that behind. So until there's nothing left to save… we have to fight."

"And why, exactly, is it our responsibility?" Daisy asked. "Shouldn't something like this go to the police?"

"Because we're the only ones who can."

She still appeared troubled. "But—"

Misty placed a hand over one of her sister's. "They're going to help where they can," she explained. "I don't know how, but I'm certain they will. But we've trained our Pokémon to do great things, and that doesn't just mean we get to happily squash newbies from Pallet Town all our lives. When trouble comes, we're here to lead the way."

"Well said, Misty," Lance said, nodding gratefully to her. "This League was founded as a protectorate for Kanto. A long time ago, that's all we were. Nowadays we may have become an over-glorified sports league to some people, but we must remember that. We are Kanto's guardians, first and foremost."

"And how, exactly, will we be doing this protecting?" Lorelei stressed again. "It's all fine to _say _that, but at the end of the day we still need a plan, and I just can't imagine anything that can be done."

"It'll have to be preemptive," Brian chimed in. "Because she's right. In a direct confrontation on their terms, it may not even be possible to hold back the force Quasar now possesses. But if we can control their access to the cities… make a choke point, keep them fighting on _our_ terms… we might be able to hold them back until a real solution can be found."

"Point," Surge mused. "It's not a terrible plan."

"What about normal people?" Ash interjected. "There'll still be regular trainers and stuff coming in to the cities. If you wall them off, they'll be trapped outside, with no way to defend themselves."

"There must be a way to tell the difference, though," Karen said. "For example, the fact that normal people probably won't be a mass of two million attackers besieging the city."

"Bah. Use your head!" Koga admonished. "If they're smarter than a brick, the first thing they'll do after we try to control entry is send through a few people at a time to start spreading their thing from the inside."

"…You could just have Sabrina at the gates… since, you know, she can tell…" Erika murmured.

"That's genius!" Bruno shouted, bounding up and startling everyone.

"Uh… I don't think Sabrina can guard all the cities in the world at once," Natalia replied. Then, as a thoughtful aside, she whispered to Sabrina "You can't, right?" Sabrina shook her head slightly.

"No, that was stupid," Bruno admitted. "But if she can pick out the different ones because she's a psychic, then Psychic Pokémon should be able to do the same thing, right? So we just post a whole bunch of Psychic trainers wherever we put ins and outs to the city, and they can control it like that!"

"That _is_ genius!" Lance agreed. "It'll still take patrols to keep off the worst of them and watch for large attacks, but that might be enough to keep them safe until we can get there. I think we may have a course of action." He raised a hand. "If we are in agreement, I will start making arrangements for this plan to be put in place immediately. Does everyone approve?"

A chorus of yes's, ayes, and nods answered him.

"Excellent. Then this meeting is over. I ask that you all stay in the area for the moment, in case we need to meet again quickly. If things are settled quickly, I'll allow you to return home soon. Thank you!" In a flash, he had the door unlocked and was running through the labyrinthine corridors of the League.

"Wait… so… we're done?" Natty looked in confusion at everyone standing and walking out.

"It was urgent," Misty said. "So it went quick."

"I just didn't expect it to be so abrupt," she replied.

"Yeah…" Ash stared out the door after one of the Masters. "I, uh… I have to go… and, uh… worship! Yeah… worship Red for a while. Before he gets away. Yes. That." He walked in a daze after his hero.

"Pi pi ka!" Pikachu waved goodbye for both of them as they disappeared from view.

Brian stared after him. "Who?"

"Red," Misty elaborated. "He's Ash's idol, I think. The first Master out of Pallet Town in history. He beat Lance almost a decade ago, but he didn't want to take the position, just the title. So he's a Master in name only. He's a major recluse, won't tell anyone where he lives or trains… I don't have any idea how Lance got him here."

"I'm going back to the lounge from earlier," Sabrina said suddenly. "I just need to relax and rest."

Brian nodded. "Yeah. I'll go with you."

"Um… can I come?" Daisy had stayed behind as the other leaders and Masters filed out.

"Sure, Daisy!" He smiled. "It's been too long since we've talked, anyway. I need more Misty stories for ammunition…"

"Hey!" Misty yelled. "Nuh-uh! Not while I have anything to say about it!"

They walked out together.

…But Misty stopped at the door as she followed. She turned and saw that Natty still hadn't stood up. "You coming, Natty?"

"…I'm useless right now, aren't I?"

"What?" She walked back into the room. "What do you mean? You're not—"

"But I am!" Natalia insisted. "I can't help in battle. I've never been good at that and you know it. If I go with you, I'll just get in the way, or worse. Even just now! I might as well have not come. Everywhere I've been since this started, I've been just… a fixture. Whenever anything important happens, I can't do anything helpful. It took me forever to even react when Brian was _dying_, and he's the one thing I care about most!" She wiped her eyes, but the sight of tears on her hand only made her even more frustrated. "Even now! I can't even get through a damn meeting without having a good cry! What the _hell!_ I'm better than this! I helped against Galactic, right? So why can't I… Why am I so… weak?"

"Natty, it's not that." She sighed, and sat down next to her friend. "For one thing, none of us have been able to keep up with what's happening. Not even Lance or Red, and they're the best of the best. But as for that, it's not that you're weak. It's that you haven't been training for the past four years. You've been breeding, what you've always wanted to do, and you're really good at it. Meanwhile, Ash and Brian and I have all been pushing harder and harder to be the best we can at battling Pokémon, so when it comes to a fight, even if it's not a real Pokémon battle, we can react without even thinking. You can't."

"So I'm right. I _am_ useless."

"I never said that. But... no. You're not a fighter, and I'm sorry, but you're not going to be able to be as good as the rest of us on the battlefield as a warrior." She started to interject, but Misty cut her off. "Wait, let me finish. That does _not_ make you useless, not even in a fight specifically."

"What can I be, then?" She laughed bitterly. "Cannon fodder?" Misty became very grave, and she felt a rush of guilt for joking about something so dark after the past few days. "Sorry. But I don't know fighting… all I know is Pokémon."

"_Exactly!_ With all you know about Pokémon, you can help us to stay at our best. I know you've helped me train a lot before. And you're better at healing, both physically and mentally, than any Nurse or breeder I've ever met. Every team needs support, and you're support to the people and Pokémon on our side. You can help if you want. If you want to stay back and keep safe, I'm not going to stop you. I almost wish you'd stay; you know I want you to be safe, and you're not obligated to help like we League leaders are. But there _is_ a place for you in the fight if you want it."

"I don't know…" She bit her lip. "I just don't see it."

Misty groaned. "Oh, for the love of Mew, Natty… ugh. I'm trying to help, and you're making it really difficult. I know where you're coming from. I'm still new to the Master position, and I'm not the best. Lance and Karen are _miles_ ahead, and I know it. Honestly, it's only been a few years, but even _Ash_ has become better than me, and sometimes I look at him and feel like I absolutely suck. I've got six years of experience on him, right? So how is _he_ better? Damn it, I fight and work and he just… just explodes right past me! How is that fair?" After a moment of sulking, she remembered who she was talking to and why. "Oh. Um… sorry. That's… a problem of mine. Like I said, I know where you're coming from. Among normal people, yeah, I'm good. But here, with Masters all around me? I'm just… not that special. Sorry… I doubt this is helping you any."

"But you still fight," Natty mused.

"Of course I do." Misty laughed a little. "We kind of have to, don't we? I'm not the best, I know. Maybe I never will be, no matter how hard I try. But this is war, and I'm one of the few who can fight. Even if I'm not the best trainer out there, even if I never will be, I still have to try. In the big picture, my doubts aren't even worth thinking about."

"And I can fight… not the best. I'll be horribly outclassed by everyone else on our side. But I _can_ fight. Maybe that's enough."

"I don't know, Natty. At the end of the day, that's something you'll have to decide for yourself. I've made my choice, and I'll stick with it to the end." She stood up and walked away, following the path out the door that the others had taken.

As they closed on their group, Misty heard a small "Sorry," from behind her.

She turned her head, so Natty could see half of her smile back. "Don't be. Like I said, I understand."

"And thanks. I think I needed that."

"Anytime."

And Natalia cantered ahead until she was next to Brian, gleefully chattering something Misty couldn't keep up with and really didn't even try to. It was just nice to have someone back to normal, even if only for a little bit.

It gave her hope.

* * *

"Sir? Sir! Mr. Red! **Waaaaaaaait!**"

The recluse man's shoulders slumped in the distance just before he walked out the doors of the League HQ. To Ash's delight, Red started back towards his admirer.

Ash's feet brought him to Red in a full sprint, so much so that Pikachu couldn't even keep up and had to skitter to a halt well after Ash had slid, panting and wheezing, to stop in front of his hero.

Red simply stood before him for a moment, his eyes still hidden under the brim of his hat, growing steadily more impatient as Ash recovered and, despite having run all that way, realized he had no idea what to say. So they ended up staring at each other, Red unwilling to speak and Ash unable.

This irked Pikachu greatly.

So Pikachu looked at Red apologetically and mumbled "Pi… Pikapi… ka pika." He put his tail against Ash's leg, and with a snap sent enough current to drop a Charizard through his trainer. Of course, to Ash, that much electricity felt like a small spark, just enough to get his brain working again. He jolted to awareness and instantly started babbling.

"Red! Holy crap, it's such an honor! I never expected to meet you before, but you're one of my heroes, I mean along with my dad, but then he died and you're a Master and I've seen you on TV so I think you're amazing not that I don't think my dad was too but you're _really_ amazing and I've really wanted to meet you but now I… uh…" Ash went crimson. "I have no idea what to say."

Red said nothing for a moment, then knelt down for a look at Pikachu. After a moment of observation, he finally stated "He's strong."

Ash blinked once. Then he grinned. "Yeah! Pikachu was my starter, and he's been with me for years! Well, uh… mostly. We had some issues with me dying. But whenever I've had Pokémon, he's been on the team, and he's the best!"

"Pi ka pika!" Pikachu flashed a victory sign to Red with a smile. This managed to charm the first emotional response they'd seen out of him, as Red's mouth crooked into a half-smile.

"Is that so…" Red looked up at Ash again, and this time his eyes actually showed: they were a shade of brown so deep and intense that they appeared almost crimson. "He _is_ strong. I wouldn't deny how good he is without proof. And strong trainers train strong Pokémon… I would like to battle you, Ash. It has been a long time since I faced a fair challenge. Can you give me one?"

Ash's eyes lit up. "Of course I can! It would be an honor, sir!" He started looking around frantically. "Come on, we're at the Plateau, there's got to be a battlefield nearby…"

"No. Not now," Red interrupted. "We have to remember our duty. We can't exhaust our Pokémon when a _real_ battle might come up at any moment."

"Oh… right…" Ash replied, deflating. "I guess that's way more important …"

"Indeed. And yet there should be a way… perhaps—"

_**Breeeeeeep! Breeeeep! Breeeeeeep!**_

Ash looked around wildly for the source of the piercing tone, but soon realized it was coming from the speakers around the building. They stopped to be replaced by a voice: Lance's voice.

"Attention, all personnel! I need all of those present at today's meeting to come to the front doors of HQ right now! Bring all your Pokémon with you! _Run_!"

Red fell back into his hard stoic silence, his eyes once again hiding under the bill of his cap, and he motioned for Ash to follow.

Wasting no time, they were the first to the Pokémon Center, Ash snapping orders to the Nurse on duty to prepare the Pokémon of everyone he had seen meet for pickup. It was but a few moments before the other Gym Leaders and Masters began to crowd around him, then Ash's friends arrived as well. Just as Nurse Joy began to bring out carts of Pokémon, Lance himself arrived, and Ash spoke again for the group.

"What's the alarm, Lance?"

"Another group was spotted heading towards Celadon," Lance explained. "Numbers are uncertain, but it's large enough that it might be the full group. Trainers from the area have stepped forward to defend, but they won't be enough by a long shot. So this time, we're all going together. This invasion isn't going to be like Saffron."

"Alright!" Of all people, Surge let out a battle cry. "I was wondering when you were going to let me see some action!"

Despite himself, Lance cocked a half smile. "Right." It was over just as fast. "Now… I'm aware that this is dangerous. And we all know what happened to Master Will. We'll be better able to handle them with all of us, but even so, I won't force anyone. You all know the consequences if this goes badly, but if you choose to stay, I will not stop you. So… who's with me?"

"I must defend my city," Erika answered with quiet determination.

"And we our region," Karen agreed.

One by one they joined in, some with candor and others with quiet fury.

"You can count on us!" Ash shouted. Misty, Sabrina, and Brian stood together with him… which left one person.

Misty looked back. "Natty?"

After a troubled moment, her eyes hardened. "I'll go too," she declared, stepping to stand with her friends. "Someone has to step up for Brock."

Lance bowed deeply. "Thank you… all of you. I'm glad to be fighting alongside you all." He shouted to Nurse Joy. "Please, ma'am! We need those Pokémon returned ASAP!"

"Of course, sir!" she answered shrilly. "They're ready now, just come forward and I'll return them as fast as I can!"

One by one they stepped up, each accepting Pokéballs as fast as possible and running out the front door once they were ready.

Ash and his friends waited for each other to finish, so they were the last outside after Misty finally received her Pokémon. They found a group assembled for war: a line of flying Pokémon ready to head out and defend their people.

"Join up!" Lance urged to them.

Ash and Brian automatically reached for their flight Pokemon and let them go. "Alright, Charizard, I choose you!"

"Komodo, let's do it!"

The twin Charizard roared, and they jumped on quickly, Ash with Misty and Brian carrying Natty and Sabrina.

Ash flashed Lance a thumbs-up when they were ready. "All set, sir!"

"Alright, then! Kanto League, let's take to the skies!"

The horde of dragons, birds, bugs, and dinosaurs roared and screeched as they took wing, a horde ready to tear into anything that stood in their way, and their trainers joined in the battle cry. A mighty wind tore through the Plateau, thrown up by so many wings, and blew their path clear. They banked to the east, heading into the rising sun; with their course set, Lance and Karen started them on their way. At top speed, they would make it to Celadon in less than two hours.

At that moment, three hundred miles away, the first wave of the Chained attacked.

* * *

**Population Infected (Kanto): 30.842%**

* * *

**Notes:**

Angst: A feeling of deep anxiety or dread, typically an unfocused one about the human condition or the state of the world in general.

I defined that word for you so that you will definitely understand this phrase: AAAAAAGH SO MUCH ANGST.

This chapter was all about despair and doubt. Each of the main characters has a doubt which they've now discussed: Ash's proposal, Misty's realization that she's the worst Master, Natty worrying that she can't help at all, and Brian believing that there's no way to stop the invasion at all. Of course, these were all positively addressed in this chapter (though none of them were resolved) except for Brian's, unless you count them actually coming up with a half-decent plan to stall for time addressing it. It will definitely be more thoroughly addressed next chapter.

But more to the point: I promise, cross my heart and hope to die, that this will be the last chapter dominated by this kind of emotional… mush. I'm not saying it's going to completely go away, but it will be _way_ toned down from here on out. I meant to have the Celadon attack occur about in the middle, but soon realized that I had underestimated everything I had to do in this chapter, and by the time I got to the end of the meeting I knew there was no way I could fit it in. I could have extended the chapter like I did with chapter eleven of OCAD, but I'm nearly an entire month behind schedule as it is… so I cut it off.

Which brings me to my next point… yeah. I'm 25 days overdue. That's my bad. Sorry. My computer broke for a few weeks, and that held me up for most of month one, but for the most part I've just been focusing on getting through Technical Training. _But_ that's finally over as of tomorrow, and I should get to leave this place and go for a vacation at home by the end of this week! I'll do my best to get working on the next chapter while I'm there so that this doesn't happen again. Then I'll be off to Alabama… joy.

I could talk about what's happening in this chapter more if I chose to, like why I added Red but not Blue for starters, but I think I'm going to cut my notes short because I want to post this, but I need to start packing pretty badly… I've got to get this room totally cleaned out by tomorrow night, after all! That's a lot of stuff to fit in my car!

Oh, special thanks this chapter to _Bittersweet Romanticide_ (because I haven't thanked her enough already, amirite?) for… well, for a great many things that I won't go into here, but most specifically for beta reading this chapter and helping me make some changes to the scenes she felt (and I agreed) were shaky, specifically the original conversations between Natty and Misty and between Red and Ash. She hasn't read the changes I made yet, so to you, "Natalia", I really hope you like it!

So that's it for me this time. See you around, gang! Next chapter will of course be dominated by the Defense of Celadon, but may segue into other places before it's all said and done. We'll see where it goes! Thanks for stopping by, please come back again, and would you please leave me a review so I can do better next time?

Kthxbai!

James, a.k.a. FTEcho 4


	5. The Invasion of Celadon City

**Infection**

_Chapter Five: The Invasion of Celadon City_

* * *

**Population Infected (Kanto): 30.843%**

* * *

The leaders of the Kanto League tore through the sky.

The few people out and about in the Indigo Plateau below looked up from their walking and their jobs as they flew by. It was a wonder to see so many trainers in one group, especially a group as well known as this one. Those who followed the League regularly would recognize every person they saw, and even those who didn't could see Lance and Ash, the past and current faces of Kanto, and extrapolate the importance of those with them. It was only a flash, though, and then they were gone, on some mission that those on the ground wouldn't understand. Some of them marveled a bit as the flight passed, but those thoughts soon faded. They had lives to attend to.

But for those in the air, the journey and the trial beyond had only just started.

Ash looked around himself. He and Misty flew at the back of the group, so looking past her he could see everyone ahead. Though it had seemed that an army was taking off earlier, as Ash actually counted, they seemed impossibly few. Six Pokémon, each with two or three passengers: fourteen trainers total. And if each was carrying six Pokémon, that would be… eighty-four.

Eighty-four against two million.

Unconsciously, Ash tightened his grip on Misty.

She felt his arms tense, and her head turned towards him, so close that their noses brushed for a moment. "Ash?" Even in one word, barely audible over the wind tearing past, the anxiety in her voice was clear. And immediately, intensely, he wanted it gone.

He pressed forward through the space separating them, going in for a clumsy kiss. He felt her stiffen for a half second in surprise before her lips softened against his and she joined him.

"I love you," Ash murmured, breaking contact after a moment. He couldn't hear her reply, and he doubted she could really hear him, but that was irrelevant. They knew what was said, what was meant, and it was more than the words alone would have conveyed anyway.

_Marry me._ The words popped into his head as he pulled away and looked into her eyes. And really, could there be a better time to ask? Two warriors pledging themselves, tying their lives together in the calm before battle: every set of myths ever had one of those stories in it somewhere. It was one of humanity's oldest tales.

And yet so many of those tales had ended in tragedy as one side didn't quite make it…

"We fight together," he declared instead, raising his voice over the roaring wind so she would hear. "No matter what, the two of us stay together. We have to help each other. Even if we fail, and Celadon gets captured, you and me have to get through today. I can't… We can't lose each other. Not after all we've been through."

"I defied life and death and crossed the world to get you back," she answered fiercely, fire erupting behind her ocean eyes. "It's going to take more than an army to tear you away from me again."

There it was, her spark, her spirit, rising up and pushing off her fear. Exactly what he had wanted.

"I know it will, Mist. You save me, and I'll save you. And let them try to stop us."

"Pikapi! Pikachupi! Picha!"

Ash had to shake his head to clear it. "Huh? Focus on what, Pikachu?"

Nearly jumping out of Misty's lap for attention, Pikachu pointed ahead. The group was pulling away from them; Ash's Charizard, younger than most if not all of those in the lead, was a bit slower than the rest.

"Damn." Ash laid a hand on the base of his Pokémon's neck. "Come on, Charizard! Keep up the pace! I know you've got it in you! Everyone is counting on us!"

Charizard roared, either in agreement or anger, and fought forward, his wings beating rapidly as he struggled to close the distance. He made it forward and rejoined the group.

As they regained their position, Ash realized that he and Misty weren't the only one sharing a moment. Brian and Natty were facing each other, speaking with an intensity that he could tell mirrored the moment between himself and Misty a minute before; they embraced even as he watched. (Ash also noticed, with a small laugh, Sabrina awkwardly turning away from the couple in front of her with a bit of a blush on her cheeks.) And Ash nearly fell off his mount when he noticed, at the very front of the pack, as Karen turned and planted a kiss on Lance's cheek. From the slow, dreamy way he rubbed the spot after she turned back around, it seemed Lance was just as shocked.

"…We're really going to war, aren't we?"

Misty's voice was so low that Ash barely caught it on the wind.

"Every battle my whole life has been part of a game. Just… get a little better. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, but everyone always goes home. But not today." She paused. "Do you think everyone will go home today?"

Ash closed his eyes. "I don't know, Mist. I just don't know."

They flew into the sun.

* * *

"This is impossible."

Karen's simple statement went unheard as they finally spotted the throng massed at the east edge of Celadon, but it was certainly felt by them all. It was an impossible army, beyond any counting. Even from the air above it stretched halfway to the horizon, and was half as wide as the city it was attacking. It had received a few nicks, sure: at the front and on south edge of the city, there was a small group of the invading force that was unmoving, either paralyzed, unconscious or worse. But those two were nothing compared to those remaining.

"It might be," Lance acceded. "But whether it is or not, we still have to try." He turned to the group behind him and raised his voice to a shouted "Follow me down!" motioning towards the city to ensure they understood. Then he turned back and led Dragonite into a dive that was echoed by those behind him.

Lance led them down towards the inner edge of Celadon, towards a small group on the east edge: presumably the trainers who had gathered to protect the city.

"Thank Arceus, you're here." An Officer Jenny was on the ground already. She left her motorcycle to meet Lance the moment they landed, closing with him as they returned all the flying Pokémon.

"What is happening here?" Lance looked around. No trainers were fighting; indeed, they looked completely hopeless just standing there. A scattered collection of boys and girls, many of them as young as ten or twelve, and only a few older than fifteen or sixteen. Yet they all shared the same sunken eyes, looks that did not belong on children, emotions that they shouldn't have had to deal with for years fighting within them.

"They've never attacked," Jenny explained. "And we never pushed. We waited here. A few of the trainers went out. They wanted to fight, rather than wait."

"They didn't come back," Brian completed quietly.

Jenny's eyes flicked onto him for a moment, then down to the ground. "Four went out. They were swarmed the moment they stepped out of the city border. They fought their best, and took a few down with them, but there were simply too many. Three were captured."

The fourteen trainers looked together to where the fight had taken place. It was within sight, and they could spot cracked and torn and scorched earth at the site where they had fought. And something had spilled on that ground, staining it a grim black. "And the fourth?"

Jenny's voice caught several times as she tried to explain. "They left him for last. He fought… oh, he was so young, he was so brave, even as his friends turned on him one by one he wouldn't give in! So… so… they made him an example. They took his Pokémon, one by one… and then his Pokémon tore him apart."

"They killed him?" Lance's face twisted into a bitter mix of anger and grief.

Jenny nodded quickly. "His friends brought back the pieces before they left. An ambulance came. Picked up what was left of him. But there was no hope of saving that boy."

They were shaken. The battle hadn't even started yet, but a monumental line had been passed. A life had been taken; blood had been shed. And no matter how hard they fought, how perfect their victory might be, that life would still be gone.

"What was his name?" Erika asked.

"Daniel. His name was Daniel Tyler."

"Thank you," Lt. Surge said, uncharacteristically quiet. Then he rose into his normal roaring voice as he shouted "I just wanted to know… who I'll be kicking this army's ass for!"

In an instant, grief turned to rage.

"Why aren't they attacking, though?" Lance asked heatedly. "They are obviously not here to talk."

"They were waiting for us," Misty realized, cutting off Jenny's answer with a burst of insight. "They knew we were coming after you fought them in Saffron, and their leader, whoever it is, he wants the fight. He'd rather capture us now than have to hunt us down later."

"Listen to them," Jenny urged. The group fell silent, straining to hear.

And now that they were all silent, they could hear a dull chant coming from the masses to the east.

…**give-us the mas-ters, give-us the mas-ters**_…_

"Fine," Lance declared. "They want us that bad? Then we'll go!" He faced his people. "Stick together. At least groups of two, but go with three or four if you really want to. Watch each other's backs, and _don't_ try to play hero and get yourself killed." He looked particularly hard at Surge on the last point. "You're no good to us dead or captured. If you find yourself in trouble, do your best to get out of there and regroup. Better to run away than not be able to."

"Oh, shut up, will you?" Surge complained. He nodded to his friend. "Bruno, let's go!"

"Damn it, wait!" Lance yelled at him. Bruno shook his head at Surge, and then nodded for Lance to continue.

"I want one thing to be very clear. These people are not evil. They don't want this any more than we do. So we are trying to minimize casualties as much as possible. Knock people out, paralyze them, stun them, put them to sleep, whatever you can do to keep them incapacitated. However…" Lance seemed to struggle very hard to get the next words out. "You must survive. Every person we lose is a major blow to our strength. Every Pokémon they take as well. So your survival and the survival of everyone here is your top priority. If… if you must… kill. It has to be your last resort, but if it comes down to your life or theirs, then kill. It will not be held against you."

"Lance…" Karen, like the rest of them, was speechless.

Koga stepped towards their leader, squaring with him. "That order has not been given in at least three lifetimes, Master Lance. Is that really necessary today? To kill?"

Lance refused to meet his gaze, instead looking out towards the opposing army, and the blood spilled before them. "Our enemy has already proven that they are willing to kill. We must be just as willing in our defense, or they will overwhelm us… But I sincerely hope not, my friend."

Koga seemed to accept that, albeit begrudgingly.

"Sir?"

A young voice grabbed Lance's attention. He turned to look, and one of the trainers, the oldest by the look of her, met him.

"What should we do, sir? Do you want us to join you?" Some of the younger trainers whimpered a bit at the suggestion, but many of them stood, ready to join if he asked.

But Lance wouldn't allow that. "This is not your fight anymore," he answered. "Go into the city."

"But we can help!"

"You are young. You are inexperienced. And I won't allow any of you to risk your lives this way. Go into the city, and be ready to leave at any moment." He raised his voice "In fact, if any of you can, I would leave now! Go home, or wherever you can find safety!"

"This _is_ my home," the girl insisted vehemently. "I want to fight for my family!"

"It is mine as well." Erika spoke from the crowd. "And I understand your need to defend it. I feel it too. But you can't truly help us fight. If you really want to help, then go into Celadon. Spread the word, let everyone know to be ready to run if they can. You may end up saving more lives than everything we are going to do out here."

Most of the trainers heeded her immediately, running, walking, and trudging into Celadon, some of them already starting towards nearby buildings to give the message. The speaking girl stayed longest, torn as she was, but she at last she turned and fled.

"What should I do?" Officer Jenny asked.

Lance was quick to reply. "Head to the Center and tell them to be ready for us. We may need Pokémon reenergized or healed, or possibly traded out, and every second will be crucial. Restrict the phones except for emergencies so we can transfer if necessary." He looked into the city. "Where is the nearest Pokémon Center?"

"Two streets down, near the center."

"Damn," he cursed. "That's far. It'll take several minutes if things go to hell and we have to run there."

"I'll head that way."

"Wait." Lance glanced at his group and added "After you go there… head to the hospital. Get an ambulance out here on standby, two if they can spare the crews for them. No one else is going to die today if I have anything to say about it."

"Right." Jenny straddled her motorcycle, hiding her face behind her helmet as she started it up. She flew off towards the Center, blazing madly through the deserted streets, and was out of sight in moments.

"Why did you send her to the Pokémon Center, Lance?" Ash asked.

Lance turned to him. "What?"

Ash scratched the back his head in confusion. "Well… we all used the Center at the Plateau, so our Pokémon are already fit to fight, right? So why did you ask her to go there?"

For a moment, Lance simply stared at Ash, too stupefied to really answer. He wasn't the only one: nearly everyone was. Karen spoke for them all. "Ash, we're fighting an _army_. Do you really think the regular 'six Pokémon to a side' rules matter today? I expect us all to trade out until we have nothing left to fight with at all, unless we can drive these bastards off first."

"Ash, you absolute idiot," Misty hissed to him. "You're making all of us look stupid just for _knowing_ you!"

"I bet he was expecting a referee and an audience too," Brian quipped.

"And a break in the middle for tea, right?" Natty added. "I mean, it's only fair. It's not like we're at war or anything."

"Pikapi…" Pikachu crept away from his spot next to Ash, jumping onto Misty's shoulder and refusing to look at his trainer.

"Okay, I get it, I'm stupid!" Ash yelled. "Shut up, I'm a little nervous and I'm not thinking very well!"

Lance had finally recovered, and cut off the chatter. "Enough. He's right. And it's time."

Whatever bit of humor they had salvaged out of those moments disappeared. Fourteen stony faces turned towards the masses against them.

"Just remember, stick together," Lance repeated one more time.

"Alright, we got it! Let's get _going,_ Bruno!"

And at last, Bruno agreed. He released an Onix wordlessly, and he and Surge both jumped on, charging towards the line in a cloud of dust.

"Well, you heard him!" Lance shouted. "_Go!_" His Dragonite reappeared, and Karen joined him as they flew off.

Koga and Erika teamed up. So did Red with Lorelei. Two more pairs thundered into battle, and now six were left.

Sabrina, staring out into the field, came to a startling realization. "I don't have any Pokémon. Not even at the Center. I cannot possibly fight." She put a hand to her head. "How could I forget… how could I be so utterly idiotic!"

Natty was ready for this. She stepped in, handing three Pokéballs to Sabrina quickly.

"I remembered," she explained. "That's the Beautifly and Snubbull I saved from the breeding center, and my Alakazam. All three of them are trained pretty well, and I figure you can use my Psychic better than I ever could. That, and your powers... you can teleport if you get in trouble. You'll be fine. You might have to fall back early and often, but you can still fight."

Sabrina nodded resolutely, and she joined Brian and Natty as he released Komodo and they flew towards the fight.

"Misty…" Daisy looked at her sister plaintively. "You know I'm no good at this."

"You've come a long way, Daisy," Misty replied with a half smile. "And we'll help keep you safe."

"Right," Ash agreed. "Um… but Charizard's out for a bit. The flight was too much, and he needs to rest. Can Gyarados carry us?"

Misty smirked, already tossing the draconic monster's capsule out. "Of course he can."

Gyarados emerged with a roar, as he always did, and they wasted no time hopping on. Misty urged him to battle. It didn't take much; he was raring for a fight the moment he was released. He spotted the wall of attackers, already battling against the Kanto League's best, and raced for an open area. It took a few minutes for him to get to them, even at his fast pace. Ten, fifteen, thirty Pokémon were released as they drew close, ready to battle.

Misty wanted no part of that.

"Gyarados, Hyper Beam across the front line!" she ordered. The four passengers tightened their grips as he roared and fired, blasting many of the Pokémon released to the ground. Many of those that were hit stayed down, but a few stood again, and a few more had evaded entirely.

But it was a start.

Ash and Pikachu leapt off of Gyarados as they reached the front, taking advantage of the blow he had made to make one of their own. "Alright, Pikachu, let's get started! Thunder Wave, as wide as you can!"

"Pi… ka…" Pikachu shuddered for a few moments, building power until he was glowing with it. He held it for so much longer than normal that Ash took a concerned step towards him, ready to rescue him if need be, but it turned out to be unnecessary. Pikachu unleashed it all.

"**CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"**

And for once, they saw how Thunder Wave had received its name. It wasn't his normal thin bolts that poured into the crowd, stunning them one by one. It was a true _wave_ of electricity that overwhelmed them, spreading out and out and out. Right in front of Pikachu, where the wave was strongest, it was enough to knock out normal people and leave even strong, resistant Pokémon totally incapacitated. And though it weakened as it went, those a bit behind were still frozen completely, then held up further back, and as far back as they could see, people were still twitching as the shock began to fade.

The three trainers stared in awe. "What _was_ that, Pikachu?" Ash asked.

"Pi… ka!" Pikachu slowly pulled up his V-for-victory to Ash, sparked once, and promptly fell over.

The Chained who had survived the attack moved to swarm him almost immediately.

Horrorstruck at the possibility of losing his closest friend, Ash ran to him. He would shield Pikachu with his body if it came to that. "Hold on, Pikach—"

"Blizzard!"

A blast of snow howled just above Pikachu as Ash reached him, slowing and freezing the survivors until Ash was able to pull him away. Gyarados didn't know Blizzard, and that meant there was only one person who could have saved him. "Daisy!" Ash looked for Misty's sister and her Dewgong to thank them, but they were gone, already attacking another Pokémon, already taking down another weak opponent, already moving to the next.

"Move your ass, Ash!" Misty ordered as Gyarados thrashed and sent a group of Bug-types flying back into the crowd along with their trainer. She pulled him off the ground and stood with him. "You're the only one not fighting! I can't cover you alone! Help me!"

"I had to save him!" Despite his protest, Ash released his own Donphan, ordering an Earthquake on a particularly fierce-looking Nidoking preparing to attack Gyarados. It went down, but even as it fell, a Rapidash and Scyther stepped into its place, ready to battle.

Ash had a bad feeling that he would be seeing a lot of that in the next few hours.

* * *

Quasar brooded.

He had long since ordered Giovanni to stop bringing him status updates. He had learned better. Now he sat in his office, his fingers absently drumming against his desk, and sifted through the thoughts and views of all his subjects personally to gather the information he needed. Relying on others was a stupid idea, anyway.

His current focus, of course, was Celadon, where a great many of his people were now waging battle with the various leaders and Masters of Kanto. The battle had just begun, and it pained him how utterly atrocious most of his trainers were. He had set them at the forefront to ensure their superiority, but they were being completely destroyed left and right. It was disheartening how closely he had to micromanage just to make sure they stayed competitive without just turning them loose.

Not that they needed to win in the moment. He just hated to lose a fight, even an inconsequential one.

Quasar looked at several of his subjects watches. The battle was going as expected, but it was time for him to take care of other issues. He set them up to take care of the battle on their own, staggering their planned entrances to the battle into waves to drag it on as long as possible and wear down their opponents' resistance. Then he "left" them in pursuit of his other plans.

He was an exceptionally busy man.

* * *

Of all the things to think about while fighting for his life, Ash was really starting to wish that he wore a watch.

He wasn't sure, entirely sure at least, how long he had been fighting. There were signs, of course. He'd made two (or was it three?) trips with Misty and Daisy back to the Pokémon Center to refresh their Pokémon and pick up a few replacements for Pokémon who just couldn't go on. The sun had moved just past its zenith and was now on its way to the horizon. His body ached from running around, dodging attacks and trying his best to keep his Pokémon, Misty, and Daisy all safe. All the signs told him that it had been a very long time. He just didn't know, and it was starting to bother him.

Everything was starting to bother him.

"Watch it, Misty! Floatzel, Aqua Jet!"

"Float!" Wreathed in water, Floatzel pounded into a Raichu, interrupting a shock directed towards an unaware Misty. She felt the hair on her arms stand up and her legs tingle, and a ragged breath escaped her as the bolt struck the ground at her back. She spun around, stumbling a little as she did, to see the scorched earth.

She stared at it, watching the grass curl and blacken and the ground crack from the heat.

Her mind locked, overwhelmed entirely by a single, slowly evolving thought: _That was almost me. That was almost me. That should have been me. That will be—_

The earth was torn from her sight as she was flung to the ground. Vaguely, she noticed flames dancing over the head of her savior. He was shouting at her, and he looked panicked. What was he saying? She struggled to listen.

"-ome on, come on, Mist, stay with me, focus! I can't do this without you!"

"Can't… do… another…" She was having a terrible time focusing. It was so terribly _loud,_ wasn't it?

"Please!" He was pleading at this point, cradling her face. "Get up, please!"

Aw… he was so cute, worrying over her like that. If only she could hear him better! So loud. What could possibly be so loud?

_Oh, that's right. The bat—_

"—tle!" Misty gasped. The mental block disappeared, all of the frozen thoughts exploding through her head. Ash helped her struggle to her feet.

"Pikachu, Staryu!" Ash took control of his and Misty's Pokémon, and they both returned from their attack positions to . "We need cover." He raised his voice to a shout. "Daisy! We're going back!"

She waved at him and yelled back wearily. "Alright! I'll join up with Sabrina while you're gone. Just be careful."

"Good! We'll see you soon! Be careful!" She was already gone.

"Pika!" Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder and faced forward, ready to take anyone who attacked his trainer. Staryu flew behind them, watching their rear.

"Whu… what?" Misty asked. "Why? They need us!"

"Mist, you just collapsed. And you saw another one, I can tell. You need a break." He put an arm around her waist as they started back towards their original meeting spot.

"Ash… you're shaking."

He was. Until she mentioned it he hadn't noticed, but he was trembling all over. He held up his free hand, watching the tremors. "Yeah. Ok. I need a little break too."

They walked together, crossing over the blackened ground, site of the first loss. But not the last. No, not even close to the last.

He had, at least, kept himself from killing anyone. Ash had held on to that, as had Misty and indeed most if not all of the trainers fighting with them. Their hands were unbloodied by the terrible things going on around them.

But their opponents were not so civil.

Ash had seen death once, had even experienced it himself. He didn't want to face it, but he really had thought he would be ready if he had to. He had steeled himself, and if it had been a normal death, perhaps he might have been right.

But there were no normal deaths. Not one. The Chained were reckless, mindless, throwing their lives away on a whim.

Ash had met a trainer of some skill in the rabble, someone who had Pokémon that were a genuine threat, able to dodge and survive through the combined skill of two Masters. Ash had focused on him, stopped his wide sweeps and area attacks to face this opponent, Misty and Daisy giving him cover from the other, relatively minor threats around them. Ash was a Master, _the_ Master of Kanto. No ordinary trainer stood a chance against him, and once he was able to focus he found that this teenager, skilled as he was, was no different in single combat. Ash defeated his five Pokémon soundly and swiftly. But the boy just smiled, a euphoric grin that chilled Ash in its emptiness. He waved goodbye.

A Steelix emerged from the army and crushed him into the earth.

It knew he was watching. It had done it for Ash's benefit. That was made clear when the Steelix stared at him as it ground its tail into the dust, obliterating its comrade in obedience to an unheard command. Ash couldn't look away. Not even when it lifted its tail and flicked it, sending blood and… bits… flying over the attackers. It took Misty pulling him into a hug and screaming at him to tear his eyes from the scene.

That was the first time he had to leave the battlefield. Misty helped him back to the safe site, where they had first landed. He was sick a few times there, but that was to be expected. They had huddled together in shock and horror, crying unashamedly. And then they went back.

That's the thing about war, you see. It doesn't end just because someone dies.

So they returned to the fight, and their Pokémon were fresh and it was easier. But that wasn't the only death. There were many more. Many, many more. Eventually they realized that the Chained were using self-destruction as a weapon; every time one of their side closed with a specific trainer and won, the trainer was killed. Usually brutally. And they fought wisely, because it _worked_. They became afraid. They fought on a wide scale and tried not to single out opponents, but some trainers were just too good. Ash and Misty and Daisy and all of them had to focus on the best or they would be injured.

And on this field, being alone and injured would be as good as dead.

So they focused when they had to. And at some point the shock faded, and it wasn't as jarring as their opponent died.

Never stopped hurting, though.

And the mental strain built, and added to the physical effort, and the emotional turmoil, and then it sat and broiled inside them all for hours.

In short: Ash was very, very tired.

"Ash. We're here. You don't have to support me anymore."

Ash blinked. He had been lost in his head as they approached, but they'd reached the "safe zone" where they were taking breaks without heading to the Center.

"Support you?" In spite of everything, for a moment, he chuckled. Just once. He half fell, half sat down on the grass and held out a hand to Misty. "That's… funny. And here I thought I was leaning on you."

Misty's lips twitched upwards, but she just couldn't pull off a smile. She hugged him instead. Pikachu snuggled in between them soundlessly. And they cried together.

"Come on, Natty. A bit further. Almost there."

The two of them looked toward the familiar voice to see Brian and Natty coming towards the safe zone. He had his arms around her, but hers were cradling something. As they reached the pair, she fell to her knees and they saw why. In her arms was her Pachirisu. Her neck was at an odd angle and half of her fur was burnt away.

"Pichupipi!" Pikachu cried at the sight of its friend. He and Misty shifted to let Natty lean on Misty's shoulder and cry.

"It's not fair," Natty mumbled.

"It's not right," Brian agreed hoarsely. "I thought… I never thought he would kill when he could capture. I wasn't ready for this." He looked back to the battle, where the ten trainers still left raised up clouds of smoke that crackled with static, leaving the back of the army cloaked and numberless. "This… mindless, pointless killing. I should have guessed he would try to break us this way. I hate him. I hate him."

"We can't win," Ash said. It wasn't a question.

"No," Brian agreed. "We lost when we came here. No, even before that. We lost when they took Saffron. I'm really just waiting, I guess… waiting for the other shoe to fall." He looked at Ash again. "When did you realize?"

"I didn't," Ash said. "Misty did." He looked to her.

Her eyes were closed like she was in pain. "If they had just pushed with all they've used so far at the start they would have destroyed us hours ago. And they had to know that, that's how they took Saffron." They opened, but they were still clouded as she watched the fight. "They're playing with us. They always were. I just don't know… _why?_"

"We'll figure it out eventually, I'm sure" Brian answered. He sounded hazy, far away. "But it doesn't matter. Kanto is doomed. I think we need to run. Just run away and never look back. I don't know what else we can do. I would guess we've beaten ten thousand trainers so far, but I'm positive there's still at least four times that left, and that doesn't even count the countless normal people we still don't know how to deal with. And we're tired. We're running out of time and we're going to start falling if we don't leave soon." He started walking back. "Take care of her. Please. I'm going to go ask Lance to evacuate."

"We can't, Brian," Ash argued. He stood up. "We have to fight! We… we've just gotta! We're the only ones who can!"

Brian spun around. "No, we _can't!_ We are not able! We can fight and die and give him free reign or we can leave to find another way! But even if there is no other way, what is the Mewdamn point in fighting if we can't win?"

"Because we're the protectors of Kanto!" Ash shouted back. "It's our job! If we don't fight, they'll take the city! They'll take everything!"

"I didn't ask to be a guardian!" Brian screamed suddenly. "I'm not fit for it! I'm not! I am _fucking terrified_ and I don't want to do this anymore! I'll quit, I'll resign, just let me leave!" He couldn't look at Ash anymore; his eyes fell to the ground. "They killed Pachi and they took Komodo. They're taking everything, and there's no point in staying to let them take more. Who will they take from us next? Who will be the next person to fall? Lance? Sabrina? Natalia? You or me?"

Ash swallowed. "I know." He walked to Brian. "We're on the line. But if we don't put ourselves out there, he wins. He takes it all, everything we care about. And have you seen Celadon, Brian?" He held out a hand.

Brian wiped his eyes. "No. Why would I? I haven't needed to. The battle…"

"Forget the battle for a minute and look," Ash demanded.

He looked, and for the first time he paid attention.

It was an exodus. Cars lined the streets on their way east. Pokémon with passengers were flying and riding away, some with packages and bags of belongings carrying whatever they could.

"They're leaving?"

"And every one of them is a family saved. Another few people who have a chance to get away. Every moment we gain saves more." Ash smiled. It was thin, it was worn, but it was real, and it shone. "They need us and we're saving them. We can't save Celadon, you're right. Eventually we'll have to run, and they'll take the city. But we can give the _people_ of Celadon the same chance we have: a chance to live another day. I'm tired. We're all close to breaking. But until we reach that point, we've gotta keep going and give them time."

Brian sighed. "Ash… just when the hell did you become smarter than me?"

"When you got too scared to think." Ash held out a hand. Brian clasped it firmly.

"I should… head back, I guess. Eleven is better than ten, and I can still fight. Give a couple more minutes in the end. Natalia…"

"Go," she answered. "They need you. I'll be back soon. I just… I need time."

Brian nodded mournfully. "I know. I'm so sorry, love. She didn't deserve…"

"Go," Misty repeated, cutting him off. "I've got her. You go."

"I'm coming too." Ash rubbed his eyes. "Twelve is better than eleven. And I've got a bit left."

"Then let's go…" Brian retrieved a Pokéball and released it in a blink. Slifer appeared with a roar, and he and Ash mounted up.

"Pikachu! I'm counting on you to watch! Keep them safe!" Ash said.

"Pi ka!" Pikachu declared fiercely.

They flew away.

Misty was left to wonder and think and watch the battle.

_Why?_ The question still swirled in her mind, undeterred by Brian's brush-off response. She thought as she stroked Natalia's hair and helped her mourn. _If Quasar really is in control, he has to have a way to see what they're doing. Whoever is controlling them has to know Celadon is evacuating. Why waste our time whittling us down when he could overwhelm us? It's nonsense. It's an idiotic strategy from the guy who planned enough to escape a completely surrounded building and was willing to wait three years for an overwhelming attack. _

She looked to the attack. Smoke still rose, and probably would for a long time. Small fires burned everywhere along the line, and dust was being thrown up with every moment. But the attack was flash. Smoke without fire. Thunder without lightning. Nothing but a lot of loud noise and confusion with nothing to show for it._ He's not just showing off, but that's all he could be doing. But he can't be showing off, right? We can assume he's not. He is, but he's not. Come on, Misty. How can that work?_

_It can't on its own, not without some other attack on top of it, but why waste the time? He could have attacked us hours ago with a second wave… unless…_

_No._

_No no no._

Misty stood up, pushing Natty away and sending Pikachu flying. In their grief this should have been a terrible thing to do, but Misty barely noticed. She had a much, much more important thing on her mind.

"I know why they're attacking. We have to go tell them. We have to go now."

"I can't…" Natty whispered. "No."

"**Fine!**" Misty declared. "I don't have time to argue or drag you along. Pikachu, stay here with her! I'm sorry, I really am, but I have to go!" Misty released Gyarados and rode off before they had time to do more than stutter a reply.

"Come on, Gyarados, come on!" Misty gripped him tight and spurred him on. "Sprint for me! I have to tell them what's happening so we can fight it!"

Gyarados roared, leaned forward, and flew.

* * *

Quasar was still brooding. But he for a moment, he wasn't thinking about his plans. Those were on track. He had more mundane concerns.

He was considering whether he wanted a map of Kanto or a chessboard brought to him. He wanted some visual reminder for his plans, something he could place pieces onto and keep track of everything. The strain of controlling so many minds was wearing on him, and he was starting to mix things up. He hadn't made any errors yet, but he needed to correct or it was only a matter of time before he would have too many people to control effectively.

Troublesome. He would need a new system, it seemed. Something to help share the load. He was going to have to think of something better.

He laughed out loud at that. _He_ waste time brainstorming? Hilarious. He randomly selected a few dozen of his waiting Chained in Celadon to devote their brainpower to coming up with a solution based on what he knew. He could feel them using his subconscious thoughts as seeds, but they ran under his thoughts, easy to block out. He did so, confident that they would report back to him with some possibilities soon. This freed his mind to ponder the problem of a chess set in the meantime.

He was sure he could _get_ one, even as the world crumbled for him to rebuild. Probably a pretty nice one, polished glass or silver or something like that. Maybe gold. Surely there was some abandoned mansion in Saffron he could raid.

But chess was just a terrible visual metaphor for what was happening. There were three parts of this battle, and chess had two colors. Not to mention that there were only two players, and a third party up for grabs. It was closer to capture the flag. Or maybe… reversi? But he would look like an idiot with a game of reversi on permanent display in his office. Even surrounded by people who were now little more then extensions of his own mind, he still didn't want that. He would lose all respect for himself.

A conundrum.

Gods, he was bored.

He looked at a few dozen of his watches and sighed. Two more minutes was the consensus. Oh, well. He could at least start preparing some of them.

His attack forces were, in his mind, clearly labeled in four groups. One was fighting, and three were resting for their own battles. He was almost ready to let them loose. A minute and a half. The three groups rose out of near-catatonia, readying themselves. Quasar rose too, from his enormous desk chair, and walked to his window. He opened the curtains. Over on the edge of the city, he could just _barely_ see the fight between the League people assembled to combat him (including at least three and possibly all four of his remaining targets) and his nearly limitless Chained forces.

Sixty seconds.

He felt like he should be happier about the fact that he was about to control most of the world. Maybe he had planned _too_ well. As terrible as it was, the prospect of failure at least made things _exciting_ on occasion. This was as simple as breathing: he couldn't fail unless he tried, and even then he'd have to be creative about it.

Thirty seconds.

He briefly considered calling Brock in and making him watch his friends be captured, but he didn't have the time anymore. At the last moment, he had a better idea anyway. He held the first group back as he pushed the other three forward, beginning three separate waves of overwhelming attack. He'd give a few minutes for the news to reach the front lines from Celadon before he crushed them, too. Give his malcontents an extra special dose of despair. A taste of the lives he had waiting for them.

Quasar grinned. He crossed his arms and watched for an Officer Jenny to reach the League, both with his eyes and the eyes of his attacking trainers. He couldn't wait to see their faces as they realized what was happening.

At least he wasn't bored anymore.

* * *

Ash and Brian flew over the battle, finding a middle ground between rest and fighting by supporting their friends from the air. Brian's Dragonite and Ash's Glalie were with them, raking the front line from the sky and covering their allies' backs.

"See anybody unaccounted for?" Brian shouted.

"No, everybody's covered!" Ash replied. "Just make another pass!"

"Half-circle, Sli-_shit!_"

A torrent of water surged up in front of Slifer, forcing him to pull up to stop. He hovered and turned towards the source: a Gyarados with a rider, racing towards them from Celadon. As Ash and Brian turned towards the source, the rider started gesturing at them madly.

"That's Misty! Why would she attack us?" A terrible weight settled onto Ash's chest.

"Meet her," Brian ordered to Slifer, adding, "and we'll hope she just needed our attention. But be ready to dodge."

Slifer huffed and was off towards her like a shot, landing a scant few seconds later. Gyarados slid to a halt, Misty tumbling off and running towards them even as he did so.

"Misty! What are you doing?" Ash exclaimed. "You were just here! You should still be resting!"

"Shut up, I'm sorry, but this is critical!" she panted back. "I know why they're attacking! Why they won't push! They're holding us here! It's a show! A façade!"

Ash jumped off of Slifer and met her, grabbing one of her arms. "Misty, calm down! You're babbling. Slow down and explain."

She stamped her foot in frustration. "It's obvious! C'mon, Ash, think! If you were in a battle, and your opponent was using a whole bunch of flashy moves that didn't do any real harm, what would you think they were doing?"

Ash scratched his head for a moment, trying to create that scenario in his head. "Hmm… Eh… Well, I guess it'd be a diversion, right?"

Another moment went by before it dawned on Ash exactly what he had just said. Exactly what that meant. The realization left him horrorstruck. "Oh, no. No. It can't be. This can't be all a trick! I'm wrong, right? I'm always wrong! _Tell me I'm wrong!_"

"It's too simple," Brian agreed tonelessly. "Attack us with a big, flagrant display, so big we don't for a moment imagine it can be anything less than all the force he has, and then strike elsewhere while we're occupied." He put a hand to his head. "Quasar never cared about Celadon. He probably didn't care about beating us. He just wanted us here, because that means we aren't wherever he wants to really push."

"We have to tell Lance," Misty added. "He may have some idea."

"Why would he? He's only a man. The same as we are." Brian nudged Slifer with his heel, and his wings opened. "But I'll tell him anyway. He should know. Tell everyone. If this is true, if he is just waiting on the time to push, we're going to have to be ready to run soon." A gust exploded past Ash and Misty as Slifer burst upwards and shot away to meet Lance.

"Charizard needs to stay strong if we have to get away," Ash said.

"Then come with me." Misty and Ash jumped back onto Gyarados, and they took off, heading towards Sabrina and Daisy with Ash's Glalie in tow. But as they arrived, they heard a siren: a motorcycle officer was approaching the line, and she turned towards them, the nearest Masters, as she approached. Ash and Misty helped Sabrina and Daisy push their enemies back quickly, and Ash and Daisy ordered Glalie and Dewgong to build up an ice wall. Their enemies chipped away at it, but it gave them some time to talk.

"News… from the north and south," Jenny gasped out. "Other attacks like this one, but they're all out swarms."

"It was a diversion, then," Sabrina realized, her voice slightly mournful but unsurprised. "I thought it might be. I had hoped I was mistaken."

Ash nodded. "We just figured it out. But where is the real threat? Which city?"

"They've been spotted coming towards Fuchsia City, a couple of minutes away. But Vermillion City was attacked a few minutes ago from the north, at the same time as Cerulean was overrun from-."

Daisy shrieked. "_Cerulean is being what?_"

"The gym! Violet and Lily!" Misty cried with her.

Daisy fished through her jacket pockets frantically. "I need… we need… For Mew's sake, Dewgong, _hold that wall!_" Daisy retrieved her cell phone, fumbling with it in panic as she called the gym. She paced a circle as it rang.

No answer.

"No no no! Come on, they always pick up!" She tried again, calling Violet's phone directly. Nothing. She whimpered a little as she tried Lily's line.

Nothing.

"They… they've always answered, at any hour, no matter what, they _live _on their phones… so this means… they must be…" Daisy choked back a sob. "They've been…"

"No! They can't!" Misty argued desperately. "They… they must have left their phones at home and run! Surely they knew about this… surely they told you. Right?" She looked to her sister. "They knew they should be ready for this… right, Daisy?"

Daisy's lips quivered. "I-I didn't know 'til I g-got here… and I ne-never had time to t-tell them."

"Was there any warning? Any advance notice?" Sabrina asked softly. "News reports, radio, anything?"

Officer Jenny shook her head slowly. "News has gotten out about Saffron, finally, but the truth is mixed up in rumors, and it will… would have been a few days before they learned. Cerulean and Vermillion are being overrun, the police barely had time to tell us before the stations were swarmed. Fuchsia is preparing themselves, but it won't matter. The attack on them is nearly the size of this." She gestured at the wall of ice and the throng beyond. "There's no stopping that, not for them. Streets are backing up and people are fleeing on foot and on Pokémon, but they won't have hours to run like Celadon has. They're gone. They're all gone."

Daisy ran to her sister and embraced her, sobbing into her hair. Misty trembled, but she saw the Chained. She held strong, as she had to. She gave some of that to Daisy.

"Stay with me, sis. We have to get out of here. We'll find them and we'll stop this. We'll free them if we have to. Just stay with me for a while. We'll get through. All of us."

Daisy sniffled, nodded, and tried to compose herself. She heaved a bit, gasping, but she pulled away and stood on her own.

"Lance needs to know this," Ash said. "He may want to retreat, or even go help the others."

"I'll take care of it." Sabrina raised her hands. "Everyone gather in a circle! Pokémon too!"

Ash held up a Pokéball. "Glalie, return!" Daisy called Dewgong to her side, and they circled around Sabrina.

She closed her eyes. "He's north of here, but he isn't fighting. I'll teleport us directly to him. Everybody be ready…"

"Teleport?" Jenny asked nervously. "Can't we just walk? Or drive?"

Sabrina began to shine blue. "Yes. But this will be faster. Allow me to concentrate, please. This is a lot of people even for a very short distance."

Ash felt a very odd sense of inside-outness. He was jarred slightly as he fell a few inches to the ground, but he kept his feet.

"—ey're falling back! What can they be doing?"

"Lance!"

Ash ran out of the circle towards their leader: he was standing with Brian, and he looked grim as he turned from the strange scene.

"A diversion?" he asked simply.

"Cerulean, Vermillion, and Fuchsia are all being attacked," Ash explained quickly. "Fuchsia's the only one with any kind of defense at all, and they're fighting something nearly the size of this. It's a complete loss."

Lance slumped. "There's nothing, then. Nothing we can do to fight them."

"We've helped," Misty argued.

"Celadon is mostly cleared out, Master Lance," Jenny agreed. "The people are on the move. It's a small victory, but... it is a victory. "

"True," Lance said. He stood a little straighter. "That's it, then. We can't fight them out here. It's too open. We'll have to gather. And make a stand." He nodded. "Officer Jenny, I'm issuing an evacuation order. Get the word out to the network straight away: anyone remaining in Kanto is urgently advised to take whatever they can use to survive, food or tents or whatever, and flee to the Plateau. And I'd let President Goodshow know that we're going to need to bring whatever emergency supplies are available there as well. I want every trainer able to lend a hand to do so. Everyone needs to help out here, or we're going to run into trouble… Go. Spread that message, abandon Celadon, and let's hope that it is enough."

Jenny rendered a salute. "Yes, sir!" Her motorcycle roared to life and she rode off.

"Now…" Lance turned back towards the line of Chained. "Why are they pulling back now? What could they have in mind?"

Brian looked at the fleeing Pokémon with dead eyes. "I think… I know. I know Quasar. He's a genius, but he's also a sadistic, vengeful bastard. He _wanted_ us to know. He gave us time and space to learn about the other cities. He's trying to break us, as he has all damn day."

"You keep mentioning this Quasar." Lance eyed him. "Who is he?"

"Indeed." Koga had returned. With him he brought those who had been fighting: Surge and Karen on foot, Red and Lorelei on his Charizard, and Bruno with Erika on Rhyhorn. "Who are we fighting? And why?"

"That's… hard to explain," Brian started. "He's a Galactic scientist. But he's more than that. Quasar is—"

**I am Quasar.**

A thunderous voice rolled across the gathered trainers. It was the Chained. They spoke with one voice, half a million strong, united in perfect, impossible harmony that drove Brian and Lance into silence.

**I am the new master of the Red Chain, with which I have united two cities and will soon unite more still. I am the mind of these people. Their master.**

**I am speaking to you, O Masters of Kanto, to let you know that everything that has happened today has been exactly as expected. From the attack this morning to the order you just gave, Lance. Everything. You have done less than nothing to stop our advance.**

"Don't listen to him!" Ash burst out. "We still saved all the people who escaped Celadon! He can't deny that!"

The army laughed in unison. **I cannot, Ash Ketchum. I wonder, though, how many of those you killed today were from Celadon? How many of those fleeing people lost a son or daughter to you?**

Ash paled.

They laughed again, and some still laughed as they answered. **Don't worry. I'll tell you. You killed twelve trainers in direct combat, three of whom were from the very city you defended. I have to say I'm impressed. Long after you knew what would happen to those you defeated, you still fought as ruthlessly as ever. I wonder if it hurt after the first few? I'll have to ask you once you're part of us. But I doubt it. You were ever so efficient at eliminating them.**

Ash trembled. He clenched his fists until his nails cut into his palms. Misty tried to take his hand, to comfort him. It couldn't be done.

All he could think of was the blood on his hands.

**Those few souls you 'enabled' to leave will be part of us soon enough. You've bought them a few days at most. But surely you all know the truth in that.**

"Can we attack them?" Misty shouted over the thousands who were constantly laughing at them. "Just to shut them up?"

The laughter stopped.

**So. You want me to stop talking and fight you? Are you sure about that?**

Throughout the crowd, lights started flashing. First a few, then more and more. They were Pokémon. All of them available, all coming out at once, hundreds becoming thousands becoming tens of thousands.

**Surely you know. Surely some of you have realized that I have stayed my hand all day. But you want a challenge? You want to really fight?**

The trainers in the group started coming forward, their Pokémon coming with them. Those who could fly started to do so.

**Then let's see how long you can survive this.**

"We won't give in!" Karen declared. "I won't let them back us into a corner!"

"Damn straight!" Surge agreed fervently. The two of them pulled two Pokéballs apiece.

"That is completely idiotic. Gather around me." Sabrina's dull tone was flat against the roars and yells coming at them. She was already shining, her eyes filmed with bright blue. "Give me fifteen seconds and we'll be at the safe site."

"I don't know if we have that kind of time…" Ash readied a Pokémon to battle, as did many of his fellows as they gathered around Sabrina.

"You'll have time." Karen released Absol and Houndoom. Before they could say anything, she ran towards the attack, flanked by her Pokémon on either side.

Lt. Surge bellowed a laugh. "I knew I liked her! Wait up!" He ran after her, letting Raichu and Electivire join him as he ran.

Sabrina's eyes closed and her face screwed up. "I can't… reach them. Not at that distance with this many. If they don't come back, I'll have to leave them."

Lance cried out. "_Karen! Get back here!_"

She didn't stop, but they could barely hear her reply. "_I can't! I'm sorry, Lance, I have to delay them! I love you!_"

She reached the Chained. Houndoom laid a trail of scorching fire in front of them. It barely slowed them down. Absol released a tremendous Psycho Cut that pushed back the front line. They recovered and moved again.

"_**Damn it, you two! Get back here!**_" Lance screamed, his eyes wild.

Surge finally reached her, and both Raichu and Electivire channeled Thunder from the sky right into the mob. The electricity crackled and raged from man to Pokémon to man again, felling dozens.

Those behind them trampled the fallen in their haste. They gained a few seconds, but even as the two and four poured everything they had into their foes, they were overtaken. The surge overwhelmed and covered them, and pressed on towards the remaining.

"Sabrina!" Ash yelled. "We're out of time!"

She screamed back. "I'm **TRYIIIIIIIINGAAAAAAAH!**"

A burst of blue light and a thunderclap preceded them as they disappeared. The Chained charged over the spot a moment later.

Half of the remaining League fell as they landed in a huddle at the safe site. Natalia and Pikachu cried out as they landed in a blinding flash.

Brian stood and released Slifer. "We have _seconds,_ people!" He shouted frantically. "Flying Pokémon out and partner up _now_! Natalia, where are you!"

The League stood up, except for one person. Sabrina was out cold from the strain. Red stepped forward to pick her up.

"Pikachu!" Ash called. He released Charizard as he looked around. "Buddy, come quick!"

"Pikapi!" Pikachu ran with Natty towards the huddle. He leapt into Ash's arms as Natty ran to Brian's.

"Ash!" Lance called to him. "Take control of the League back at the Plateau."

Ash jumped. "Me? Buh- why? What are you going to do?"

He climbed onto his Dragonite. "I'm going back for her."

"No!" Lorelei stopped him, grabbing at his leg before jumping behind him.

"Get off, Lorelei. I'm going back."

"For what? To join her?" Lorelei shot back. "To what end? At best, you'd be saving one of them. One of _him_. At worst, you'd join her. We _need_ you."

"She needs me!" Lance argued.

"Not by sacrificing yourself! We'll find a way to stop this Quasar. But you can't help her now. And we really don't have time to argue!"

"I… I… _Aaaaaaaagh!_" Lance screamed. He screamed at Lorelei and at the Chained and at himself. "Damn it! Damn you!"

"Ash!" Lorelei called. "Lead us back. He needs time."

"As do we all…" Erika said.

The twelve remaining rose up. They turned back towards an empty Celadon and flew, Ash, Misty, and Pikachu leading them on Charizard over the city and towards the Indigo Plateau and out of reach of the pursuing Chained.

* * *

"**RaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!**"

In his office, Quasar let off a roar that echoed so deeply through him that each of the Chained joined him in it, a shriek of rage heard all through Kanto. He pounded the glass of his window and watched in utter lividity as the League flew past his building and escaped him.

"A _teleport?_" He screeched in bewilderment and rage. "The Saffron girl can _teleport?_"

A buzz began to come through his connection to the Chained, disrupting his thinking. His stress was leaking through to them, strong enough that it was giving headaches to a few, which were now looping _back_ to him, and…

He breathed deep and slow. Another problem. Apparently he could create a mental feedback loop. Finding the way to tap directly into the minds of the Chained was the greatest and most important discovery he had made, but it was now apparent that it had downsides as well. It was wearing on him to think so much with so many minds. And now this feedback problem. A large enough stressor could potentially incapacitate the whole mob, not to mention possibly killing him with the multiplied return. He would definitely need to find a new method, as soon as the main invasion was over.

The possibility of perhaps keeping control only partially occurred. He looked at his hands, each of which were gloved with a controller: a large red gem in each palm that connected his mind to his Chained. But these could be removed, and sever his direct link. Right now that would be impossibly stupid: the attacking force only did so because he commanded it. But later, after he won, it might be possible.

He made a note of it. A physical one; his mind wasn't especially trustworthy at the moment.

Quasar brooded. He had racked Master Karen's mind the instant she was taken. (He'd done the same with Surge, but that man was… less knowledgeable, to say the least.) They were headed to the Indigo Plateau, and although he might be able to catch a few out in Pewter, Viridian, and Pallet if he marched his Chained like mad, many of them would make it out before he arrived. They had cars and flying Pokémon, and his people were on foot and would have to travel through a forest or go the long way around.

And the Plateau was a fortress in a sense. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, it had one entrance: through a valley from Viridian, and that valley narrowed quite nicely at a few points. They could defend it there by sheer fact that he couldn't push with that many Chained at once in that terrain. All the Masters and Leaders and trainers would be against him there. He bit his lip. They might even turn him away, with a bit of luck.

Damn. The stress loop was starting again. He needed an outlet. He focused enough to order Brock to come to him, and the same to Karen and Surge. He would have preferred more of the Five (or rather, the Six, as that psychic bitch had now joined his list of personal targets) to gloat at and torment, but adding a few high-ranking League members to scorn would nicely raise his mood.

Quasar returned to his desk and sat, rubbing his temples while he waited. He had time, at least. He had all the time he needed… in fact… he had more than even the League did.

Of course. A siege. How else would one break a fortress? Besiege it until your foes surrender, die, or you find another way in.

Brilliant.

So he'd let them have their evacuation. He'd let them crowd all the people of Kanto together in their hidey hole. He'd allow them to prepare, to ready whatever force they could muster to fight his _legion_.

And then he'd sit right outside their front door and watch them starve to death until they were _begging _for him to end their suffering.

The door to Quasar's office opened. He heard the footfalls as someone walked in, and Quasar turned to see him with a manic grin.

"Brock, my boy! Come on in, have a seat! Have I got a story to tell _you!_"

* * *

**Population Infected (Kanto): 60.591%**

* * *

**Notes**

DAAAAAMN, I'm late. I think I'm three months overdue for this chapter… I am bad at this. You don't want to hear my excuses… but I'm going to say them anyway. I went home for a month, and I wanted to spend time with my family. So I didn't write. Then I moved to Alabama, where I spent some time getting used to my new job and acclimating. At that point, well… my girlfriend and I finally were able to start talking on phones and using Skype, for various reasons. And I spent a lot of time doing that. I mean… a LOT. You don't even know, dude. I worked a bit, but finally we collectively decided that I needed time each day set aside to write, and the story got finished a couple weeks later. Which is now. I'm really lucky to have her, and also lucky that she _also_ writes fanfiction and so is very understanding of the situation. (Thank you for that, love.)

Oh, right. It's Bittersweet Romanticide. Didn't I mention?

Anyway, so, that's why I'm late. But I worked hard on this! Once I, y'know, actually _started_ working.

Eh… despair, anguish, blah blah blah. I liked this chapter a lot. It was fun. Hard, yes, but fun. They lost a lot, but they're starting to get used to this low point, and they're taking the small victories as they get them. They even managed to defy Quasar and the Chained his capture, against all odds! So there's that. Definitely less dark than last chapter, even though more people were actually taken this chapter than any other.

Quasar also got a lot of "screentime." That was partially because he is interesting, and I want to show his thoughts, which is difficult when he's acting as puppetmaster and not entering the fray himself. But he will. Come next chapter, he will. Oh, and to better display him as the magnificent bastard and complete monster that he is, I like to show him planning and also show him sacrificing and tormenting others, both as part of his plans and for fun. If anyone other than a sociopath can truly identify with Quasar, I'm doing it wrong.

Well… next chapter (I really hope I finish it quickly) is Kanto's stand at the Plateau, and a major crux point for the story. But not the end. Oh, no.

That's all you'll get from me today, readers! I'm sorry again for keeping you waiting, but I hope some of you have stuck around to see it, and will in the future!

And for the love of Zeus, please review. I get so sad when I post and almost no one does. And I miss the criticism. You can even yell at me for taking so long! I'll take it!

Thanks, everyone! See you next time!

James, a.k.a. FTEcho 4


	6. Broken

**6**

**Infection**

_Chapter Six: Broken_

* * *

**Population Infected (Kanto): 76.391%**

* * *

The last watch of the night was always the worst.

The blocked pass always required watching now, and they had divided it into six shifts a day: three under the sun, three under the stars. But the last watch of the night was always the worst, especially for Ash.

Lance was done. He still lived, hadn't defected or ran away, but he was a shell. They'd given him time to recover after his loss at Celadon, but he hadn't done it. He'd remained steadfast in his brokenness. He lamented over Karen, bemoaned their impending demise, and gave little effort to anything else. And with refugees pouring into the Plateau for the better part of two weeks, someone had to take charge.

And by virtue, or right, or some cruel hoax, Ash had been chosen to lead. He was technically the leader already, as Kanto's League Master, and with Karen gone and Lance out of commission no one wanted to step up and take it from him. Even the ones like Koga and Lorelei who had been in the League nearly as long as Lance himself refused. But Ash refused to slack off, refused special consideration or privilege. So when they started tallying the best trainers and leaders and Masters to keep watch over the narrowed pass, he had told them to give him work. And they had.

"Ash?"

Misty poked her head into his tent.

"Hey, Mist," he welcomed sleepily, standing on tired legs to give her a kiss. "You get this watch too?"

"I traded Lorelei for it."

"Why in the world would you do that?" Ash rubbed his eyes. "I hate this shift. I can never get any sleep afterwards; it's too late in the morning when I'm done."

"I don't care. I've missed being alone with you, Ash." She sat down and patted the spot between her and his snoozing Pikachu. He took it gladly. And they looked out towards the mountains.

The Indigo Plateau was poorly named. It was a plateau, true, but it sat in a valley, surrounded by taller mountains. The only way in was from the south. And that way was narrow. So they had taken that, found the narrowest point, and a team of Ground and Rock Pokémon had made it smaller and the cliffs around it more sheer. Now three or four people could come through at a time, at the most; few enough that refugees could be individually checked as they came through.

Not that that mattered anymore.

"…Do you think they'll ever push?" Misty asked. "There's so many out there. They could. They could start to trickle through and we…"

"No. Not yet," Ash replied. "We can beat them here if they just go ahead and attack. There's nowhere to go, but we've got all the best trainers with our backs to a wall. We have to fight, and they can't pour through and flood us. We can keep fighting until… well…"

Misty rested her head on his shoulder. "Until the food runs out."

"Yeah. Until then."

When Ash had been shown the numbers, it had taken him (okay, not him alone, but him and his friends) about five minutes to realize a terrible truth. The Plateau had food stored, true, and the escaped people had brought some with them. And they'd stockpiled what they could and were carefully rationing it. But close to two million people had escaped the Chained and come here before the pass was besieged. There were too many to keep caring for. They could get enough water that it wasn't a concern. And they had scrounged together shelter in tents; enough to keep them housed, if cramped. But they only had enough food to last another week at most, and then all the people left in Kanto were going to start to starve.

In a week at best, surrender might be their only option.

And as terrible as it seemed, Ash knew that he wasn't only watching for the Chained to start an attack. They also watched to stop those who had lost all hope from going to join them.

They wouldn't force them back, only try to argue and convince them to stay. But as time went on, the argument to stay got weaker and weaker, and each day a few more slipped through.

"I asked Brian to do the math today," Misty said. Apparently her thoughts were matching his. "How much was left. And how many people we might start to lose. He did something with calculus, I don't know what."

"Did he have an answer?"

"In six days, we hit critical probability, whatever that means. We'll have to announce that food is running out by then at the latest if we keep rationing it out at the rate we are now. With a day left, people won't chance it. They'll leave in masses. After that it gets shaky. With less people, what we have will last longer. But it won't be enough, not ever. It can't be enough. Indigo imports everything. We can't grow food enough for more than a couple hundred people and Pokémon, and that's using every one of them. But that won't even matter. When everyone leaves in a week…"

"…There'll be no one left here to stop them," Ash finished. "And we won't be able to hold them out anymore."

"I've been thinking about that." She rubbed her hands together; the nights were getting chilly. "About us not being able to fight them. This isn't the first time we've needed a miracle. And we got ours the first time." She took his hand.

"The Legendaries," Ash said, following her thought. "Yeah. I thought of that."

"You don't think of anything," Misty countered, a bit of cheek peeking out of her.

They both chuckled a little at that. Good laughs were hard to come by these days.

"I swear, I did!" he laughed. Then he sighed. "But I doubt we'd get their help even if we found Arceus again, and the others are even more random and unlikely."

"Why not?" She asked petulantly.

Ash tensed as he spotted a flash of movement by the pass, but it was only a group of Spearow landing and pecking the dirt. He exhaled. Sunrise must be getting close.

"Because it's not affecting Pokémon, for one" Ash explained. His hand absently started scratching Pikachu's ears as he spoke. "I asked around and got sent to Koga. He told me a few times that the legends interceded in history, but they don't do it in human wars unless we start tearing apart something sacred or wreck the world as a whole. This is just a human issue. Arceus helped us because we helped him, and we helped him because we heard from a legend he started that he could help us. He played the whole game because the whole world was in danger, and they won't let that kind of thing go to chance. The Chained aren't destroying humanity. Just… controlling us. Life will go on if we lose, and so all the Pokémon won't support one side or the other just because we ask."

Misty groaned and put her hands over her eyes. "Damn it."

"I know," Ash agreed. "We're on our own."

"And it sucks."

"It does. A whole lot."

She sighed. "So what do we do if it comes to the end?"

Ash shrugged. "I guess they'll take Kanto. And probably start towards Johto. And so on. Maybe other regions will be ready and fight better than we have."

She shook her head. "Not Kanto. Us. Just you and me." Misty turned her head a little to look at him. "What do _we_ do? Do we fight to the end? Or do we run?"

He met her eyes for a second, but turned again to keep watch. "What do you think we should do?"

"…I don't know," she admitted. "I don't want to give up, but if they overwhelm us, how can we win? Why fight a hopeless battle?" Her grip on his hand tightened. "I don't want to lose you, Ash."

"I know the feeling. But I think as far as we go, we'll just have to play it as we go and do what feels right. If there's no hope for Kanto, that doesn't mean you and me can't get by on our own."

"I love you, Ash."

He smiled. "I love you too."

They waited for the sunrise, together in their little forward outpost, and hoped for another day, just one more peaceful day before hell descended upon them.

They didn't get it.

* * *

"We have to fight!"

"We can't fight!"

"Better to go down in battle than surrender in shame!"

"And you would risk two million lives on such a desperate gambit? Think about what you're saying, you old fool!"

Ash sighed and stood.

"Brian! Koga! Shut up!"

The two feuding trainers turned towards Ash together, before each sat down begrudgingly. Ash regained his seat between Misty and Pikachu.

"Koga." Ash looked across the table to him. "Please try again without the shouting. You called this meeting. Don't be the one to wreck it."

He glared at Brian, who had interrupted him a few moments before, and stood again to address the eleven remaining league representatives.

"We're at our end. We've all seen the numbers. We're running out of time. In a few days, food runs out. Hope might run out even before that. And our people are choosing slavery over eventual starvation more and more each passing day. We'll start losing enough to affect our force of trainers soon, and we won't be able to mount a defense any more. This siege will end us if we don't fight back. My friends, the fact is that we are left with no other option but to attack the Chained and hope for a miracle. That's all there is to it."

Ash nodded and looked around. "Fair enough. Who wants to argue different?"

Brian stood up. "I do understand his point. But we have time, a few days at least, to prepare ourselves. We should take it. We can defend with nearly the same force that we could attack with, at least until then, and it would come to the same end. We still know too little about our enemy, and we're outnumbered by a staggering amount. We can't win a direct conflict. We need to find a… I don't know, a weak point."

"This isn't a game," Koga growled. "There doesn't have to be a secret weakness to them. We can't run to the Legends or find a hidden weapon. We may just be outclassed."

"Granted," he answered. "But if that's true, if we wait three days and gain nothing, the fight we have then will be no different. Why take such a major risk before it's necessary? We have constant watches in place, a surprise attack is all but impossible. And even a few trainers could hold the gate long enough to get us all there to defend."

"What weakness do you think might be found in three days?" Erika asked.

He shrugged. "I can't say. My hope is that there's a way to destroy or deactivate the pieces on the Chained, or at least quarantine them from the controller. That would fix it, as it did for me."

"The connection, if not the controller, is psychic in nature," Sabrina agreed, nodding. "Blocking it should be possible, if we can isolate one of the Chained."

"A permanent block?" Brian asked.

Sabrina hesitated. "I… do not think so. Not while the Chain is still attached. It is a permanent connection, and would most likely require a constant effort to maintain the block. But it is rather hard to say. I would have expected Dark, Ghost, and Psychic Pokémon to resist the effects, and yet we all know that many of the Pokémon present at Celadon were Chained with their trainers, those types included. This is not a normal influence. I can detect the signal somewhat when around them, but I know little about it. I haven't had opportunity to research it any."

"Several of us have chained Pokémon," Bruno mentioned. "That idea can be tested, if we have time."

"Well, there you go," Brian said, gesturing towards Bruno and Sabrina. "We have things we can do, different ideas to explore besides an all-or-nothing attack."

Ash sighed and nodded. "That's enough, Brian, Sabrina. Thanks." He stood up as Brian sat. "We're not attacking, Koga." He glared at the older Leader, stifling the man's outburst before it came out. "We can hold them at the gate, I know, but _only_ there. We'll get creamed if they can find a different point to attack. We all know it. And there, where we can hold them, both sides will be able to rotate out trainers and Pokémon enough that by the time the first ones return, they'll be back to full. It'll be a different kind of siege, but the same result would come out of it: they'll stall us until we starve. We need a different plan of attack than blindly fighting, Koga, and we're not going to waste the effort unless they force us to defend."

"You'll doom us all by waiting, Ketchum," Koga spat.

Ash narrowed his eyes. "You were offered the spot as our leader, and you turned it down because no one was willing to carry the weight. You forced me into this role. I'll follow the best advice I have to lead, and that isn't yours."

The Poison Leader stood up violently, shaking the table. He roared furiously and pointed at Ash. "Then so be it! I have stated my case, and I know I am right. I will not stay here and be taken with you fools!" He lowered his voice and his arm. "I give you today to change your mind, Ash. You have until the sun sets to begin an attack."

"And when I don't?" Ash raised an eyebrow, refusing to be fazed by the ultimatum.

Koga grit his teeth and seethed, "Then I leave. I will flee this collapsing hellhole and fight on my own terms, League or no League."

This statement was met with stunned silence, and Koga turned and walked out in the middle of it, stopping at the edge of the tent to repeat "You have 'til sundown," before he left.

"Pi… pika…" Pikachu sparked and growled at Koga's back.

"Surely he wasn't serious, was he?" Misty said, turning to Ash. "He couldn't have been…"

"I think he was," Lorelei answered her. "Koga is old and stubborn and he would probably do it."

Ash was still staring at the spot Koga had left with wide eyes. "I… I can't believe it. He'd leave like that? He'd run for being outvoted?"

"He is a master of subterfuge and deceit," Erika noted. "This may be a ruse to force your will."

Ash's mouth settled into a grim line. "Either way, he isn't more important than everyone in Kanto. If he wants to leave, fine. We can hold without him."

"Not forever." Lance had refused to so much as look up the whole meeting, and even now he only glanced sharply up at Ash before his gaze fell again.

"…No. Not forever," Ash agreed. "And that's something we need to talk about, everyone. I didn't want to think about it, but it's reached the point where I think we have to, especially after what Koga just said." He glanced at Misty. "We may be in an unwinnable place here. I hope that Brian is right, and a way to fight back will pop up, but if not we're either going to be hit with something we can't beat, or run out of time. We can't push the Chained off by force. It may be that we can't push them off at all. If that happens, I want to know what you think…" Ash paused for a long time, not wanting to admit that this idea had occurred to him. He licked his lips and continued. "I want to know what you think about running away."

More stunned silence.

"You… you're serious, aren't you?" Lorelei glared at Ash for daring to mention the possibility. "You would do that? After herding all of Kanto here, you'd just let them be taken like that?"

"I plan to fight," Ash clarified. "I won't leave, not at all, until there's no other option… but you were in Saffron, Lorelei. And you ran because it was better that way, better to have someone fighting than lose a hopeless battle. I'm not saying be happy about it. But consider it."

"…The league would lose all respect, no matter what came of it," Red said. He set eyes on Ash, eyes wide with surprise. "You would risk that?"

"I don't see a choice!" he exclaimed. "I don't want to leave. The thought of running makes me feel sick. Kanto is my home, and we've lost too much already, and the people here are counting on us. We can't fail them. But… but. If we stay, if we defend until we can't fight anymore and we are all taken, it's over. It's over forever. There will be no one to attack the Chained, no one left to form any kind of resistance. Is feeling good about ourselves worth throwing our last hope away? I'm gonna hate myself if we run, but I think we might have to, just to keep the fight going as long as we can."

"I will never run again," Lance said with sudden fervor. "This is my final battle. If Kanto goes down, I go down with it. I don't care if you all leave without me. I will not, and I will defy anyone who tries to force me."

"Nor will I," Erika agreed.

"Or me." Daisy looked at Ash and Misty. "Our sisters are somewhere out there. I can't leave them."

"Daisy…" Misty faltered for a moment. "Joining the Chained won't save them if they're taken, or find them if they aren't."

Daisy answered with the same impenetrable silence that she had presented since she had heard Cerulean was overrun.

"It seems we can't be agreed," Lorelei said. "And I could not say for myself."

"Just…" Ash sighed, realizing she was right, and he couldn't do anything about it. "Fine. Just consider the idea, everyone, and we'll talk more about it another time. Meeting's over."

Six of the League walked out. Ash sat down again, with his head in his hands, and Misty attempted to comfort him, knowing what he was dealing with.

"We're all headstrong, Ash, or we wouldn't be in the positions we hold. You can't expect everyone to just go along with what you say." She put an arm around his shoulders.

"I'm a terrible leader. I don't know why I let them make me do it."

"Because someone had to."

Brian and Sabrina walked to them, and the man spoke again. "You're the best of us, Ash. You're not the smartest or the best battler, but you're definitely the best person." Misty glared at him. "Oh, don't make that face. He is. You're too hot-blooded. Red doesn't care enough and can't relate to anyone, Lorelei is too cold, Koga too ruthless, Lance is just gone… I'm too broken and clouded with anger at Quasar to think about fighting right…" He trailed off.

"You are doing your best," Sabrina said. "That is all anyone can expect."

"Pika, Pikapi." Pikachu jumped to nuzzle against him.

Ash sighed. "Thanks. Really, thanks, I know you all mean it and it helps. But it's hard for me to think like that knowing how many people are counting on us."

Brian and Sabrina looked at each other, then away. They couldn't argue; he was right.

"I'm going to help Natty with rationing. Here." Brian handed a Pokéball to Sabrina. "Espeon. For your tests."

"I will see what I can do," Sabrina replied. He walked away, and Sabrina looked to Ash. "I have some preliminary ideas. I'll set up a testing site and start as soon as possible."

Ash nodded without looking up. "I'll leave it to you. Just let me know if you have any success."

"Alright. And, Ash?"

Ash's head rose. Sabrina's eyes had softened into almost motherly concern.

"Try not to be so hard on yourself. You're making the best of a terrible situation, and it's not your fault if things are falling apart."

She left Ash and Misty alone.

"We take a step forward, and move one back, and everything stays the same," Ash murmured.

"As if," Misty rebutted. "Everything's changing, just not this very second.. And no one's given up yet but Koga, Ash. If Sabrina can fix Espeon somehow…"

"I can't count on that, Misty, not until she says there's a way. Gotta work with what we already know."

Misty scoffed. "We barely know anything right now."

He stood. "Yeah, Misty. That was kinda the point." He held out an arm for Pikachu to climb onto his shoulder. "I think I'm going to go help with rationing, too. I need some mindless work that will make me feel like I'm definitely doing the right thing."

"I'll join you," Misty said automatically.

He gave her a nod and a small smile. "Alright."

She took his hand, and Ash let her lead him along without paying attention to anything around. He needed this, for a while, to have someone else leading him. It may have been only a few days, but he was already sick of being the decider.

Ash smiled and lost himself in the mountainous scenery as they tugged along. He hoped that this respite would last a while.

* * *

The first watch of the night was always the worst.

Cassie had jumped at the chance when Master Ketchum had asked the elder trainers of Kanto for volunteers to hold the guard. He had even recognized her from Celadon, and rewarded her continued insistence to help with the first watch. She had held half of the watch positions now, and this time was definitely the worst of them all. The sun was setting over the mountains, bathing the narrow pass in impenetrable shadow. It would lift, paradoxically growing brighter as the sun went down further, but for now it was too dark to see through. Of course, that only caused her to stare into the inky black as hard as her hazel eyes could manage. Phantom movements would tease her, always threatening an attack, until at last darkness fell and illuminated everything again. And long after it became clear, she would be uneasy, and what little sleep she got tonight would be restless and besieged by nightmares.

"They won't come right now, while we're watching so close."

She didn't need to look over to know her partner, some other teenage trainer boy whose name she hadn't bothered to learn, wasn't looking at all. "We aren't watching. _I _am."

He huffed. "You, us, whatever. It's bad tactics to come right now, since we'd expect it. They'll come in the dark of the night, when everyone's tired, if they do at all. Might as well sit back."

"Lazy bastard." She paid him no more mind, and he chose not to respond.

She knew her duty, and she intended to stick to it. Her family was camped out here. They needed her. Everyone needed good people holding the line, just in case. She made a note to talk to one of the Masters about making sure the guard posts were given to people more responsible than the boy behind her.

"You gonna get that runner, or are we just letting them go now?"

"Uh…" Cassie blinked. Her partner was right. Someone was moving towards the shadows from their camp; she had been too absorbed in thought to notice even as she had been tracking the figure across the plateau. "Yeah. I got him. Hold the alarm." She stood up and pushed out of the blind.

"No prob."

Cassie ran after the dark haired man. Luckily he was only walking purposefully, and she was able to catch him on the edge of the sunlight.

"Sir! Wait up, I need to talk to you!"

He heard her and slowed, stopping with his feet on the line. He turned around, and Cassie forgot what she was going to say. She recognized him.

"Leader Koga? What are you doing out here?"

He glared over her head for a few long moments, back at the refugee camp, before he spoke. "I'm going to end this stalemate."

Cassie felt something hot and bitter rise in her throat. "I… it's time? Are the Masters really going to lead an attack directly?"

He frowned. "They will not. But they will join us soon. That much I can promise you." And he turned back towards the shadow.

"So they're coming?"

Koga made a strangled noise between a snarl and a yell. "Yes, girl! They'll be here soon! Now go sound the alarm!"

Cassie stood up tall. "Sir, I would rather join you in leading the fight." Koga looked back at her dismissively, and she cringed a bit. "I mean, if that's okay."

"I don't particularly care, to be honest. I will be no better or worse for the addition." He turned his head again. "Follow and fight with me if you want. Just as long as the alarm goes out."

"Yes, sir!" She released a Pokémon and issued orders. "Furret, I need you to get the boy in that tent to set off the attack alarm, okay? And come straight back!" Furret shot off.

"Come, then." Koga tried to stride forward into the darkness.

"Wait!" Cassie called. "Shouldn't we wait for the others?"

Koga spun, livid, his shining eyes the only part of him she could clearly see. "They will not be here! The others, dear, are not willing to risk a battle, now or ever. They will cower here in this hole until attrition robs us of the strength to fight. I will not allow Kanto to fall without a struggle! I will fight them and force our foes into combat. The battle will be sparked, and the League will have no choice but to fight alongside us, for good or ill. Now are you going to join me or not?"

The girl was horrified. "You can't do that! You can't risk everything on your own like this!"

"And why not? Why should I do anything else?"

She swallowed hard and reached slowly for a Pokéball, holding it out in front of her with a trembling arm. "I won't let you!"

Tense as she was, the terrifically loud roar of an Exploud was enough to make Cassie gasp with shock.

Koga smiled. "Too late. The alarm's gone out now. If you want to waste my time by making me crush you before I move on to the pass, then be my guest, but you and I both know that I will win, and be battling the Chained by the time the others get here. Will you tire both of us out before the most important battle of our lives?"

"I should try to stop you. It's not right for you to do this." But even as she spoke her arm was slowly falling back to her side.

"Good girl. Now run along and tell your Masters what's happening here today. I wouldn't want them misinformed." At last, she let Koga go, and he walked off into the shadows alone.

"Fur?" At that moment, her Furret returned to her, and looked at Cassie expectantly.

"Change of plans. He… he's not trying to help us anymore. We have to find the other Masters fast and hope they can stop this." As the words left her mouth, Cassie suddenly realized the absolute urgency behind what she had just said, and sprinted towards the guard tent, hoping against hope that the boy would have a flying Pokémon. If he had one, maybe they could intercept one of the League on their way here. Maybe they could stop this before it began.

He did not.

* * *

So apparently they hated him now.

Ash sat in the League Pokémon Center with Misty, staring blankly ahead while she held him. She had tried to say something to him to make him feel better, but nothing had helped.

Ash had arrived at the ration line, where many, many trainers and other volunteers were trying to keep everyone left in Kanto fed. It was an enormous warehouse that had been hastily retooled, and was being restocked constantly to keep the lines moving. They didn't have much: soups, breads, canned vegetables and dried meats, bottled water, some juice. It was simple food, but enough. And there were enough stations to keep things moving, most of the time. It wasn't ideal. No one waiting for food was happy about it. But they were alive and free and fear kept them in line.

Then Ash showed up, and someone recognized him.

All the hate and blame for where they had been driven to and all that had happened, to them and to all those captured, was put on Ash. First he had received a very weak cheer, but it only took one man, in the back, screaming that this was all his fault to start a rally against him, a furious voice that rose as more and more joined in. Men and women who had never been violent a day in their lives had screamed obscenities at Ash, cursing him for all of it. Ash tried to ignore it, but he couldn't. He was angry and hurt and ashamed. Angry that they would blame him for Lance's decisions. Hurt that they didn't even care how much he had sacrificed to help. And ashamed because, on some level, he couldn't help but believe that they were right to despise him.

Ash fled from the scene. He tried to convince himself that it was to keep a riot from sparking. But not even he could be certain it wasn't simply shame.

"Shouldn't be leader," Ash mumbled. Misty barely caught it, and sighed.

"We've been over it. You're the best. And you know they don't hate you. They hate what's happening and you're a good target." She nuzzled against him. "Ash, you can't blame them or yourself. Things will change, and soon. I can feel it. Buck up, Mr. Pokémon Master."

He cracked a little, and laughed. "Wow. That brings back memories. No 'wannabe' at the end, Mist? Even for old times' sake?"

"You haven't been a wannabe for years, Ash."

"I want to be a lot of things right now…" He mused. "A better leader. Or a stronger one."

"If stubbornness is strength, you've got that." Misty kissed his cheek. "I doubt anyone else in the world has ever just decided not to die because they'd miss their friends too much."

Ash closed his eyes. "I was a different person back then. If he was here now, he wouldn't be getting down like this. I would have ignored it all and fought through. I've mellowed out a lot." He snorted. "Ten year old Ash would kick the crap out of me if he was here now."

"Ten year old you was stupid. You punched Mewtwo. _Twice_. And then jumped in the middle when…" She shivered. "Bad memories."

"I was stupid, but I didn't back down from a fight." He sighed. "Maybe Koga was right."

"We need time, Ash. Sabrina's trying to work this out. We won't win. You _know_ that." She smacked his head lightly. "And I said you were stupid back then. Ten year old Ash would have gone right out to the Chained and attacked, and he would have been beaten so fast your head would spin. You're smarter, not weaker. If anything, you're everything you wanted, Ash. We've all become what we wanted."

He smiled. "Maybe so, but if I'd known back then I would have to do this, I sure would have thought harder about it!"

"Would it have changed your mind?" Misty asked curiously.

He thought for a moment. "No… I don't think it would have. And it doesn't now." He laughed and shook his head. "You're right. This is where I wanted to be. And I was faster than I thought, even delayed. I always asked for this. I knew what Masters had to do ever since we fought alongside Cynthia. And I still asked for it. And here I sit, complaining."

"No one can blame you," Misty said with a frown.

"Oh, I know. I'm gonna keep doing that. But I can't keep doing this." He sighed. "As much as I'd like to, I don't have time to sulk. I've gotta rally. As long as I can hold up."

"Any way I can help?" She put a hand on his.

He gripped it. "Just… stay with me, Mist. Stay and keep talking to me and keep me up."

"Like you even have to ask." She smirked. "You're never getting rid of me."

Ash rolled his eyes. He sighed. "I still want to help, though. The rations are apparently out. I don't know what to do."

"Maybe Sabrina?" Misty asked. "She didn't say what she was doing. Maybe we can help somehow."

"Maybe." He looked up as Nurse Joy came back out to the front desk, with eleven Pokéballs and Pikachu on a cart. He stood, and laughed as Pikachu jumped across the room onto his shoulder from the desk, landing with practiced skill.

"Showoff." Ash rubbed the mouse's head. "You should be saving your strength, y'know."

Pikachu scowled and smacked Ash lightly with his tail. As if he didn't know his own strength after all this time. Ash ignored him and walked with Misty to pick up the rest of their Pokémon.

"Where is Sabrina, anyway?" Ash asked.

"She sent a message while we were flying here. The battleground for the Elite Four battles. She said it was deserted and closed in already."

"A message?" He looked at Misty curiously, as he started out of the center and deeper into the League HQ.

She tapped her temple. "Telepathic, to all of us in the League. Considering what was going through your head, I'm not surprised you didn't hear it properly."

"Pi," Pikachu agreed, nuzzling against his cheek.

He nodded and smiled. "Makes sense. At least it's somewhere I remember how to get to."

Ash led them through the path they had often taken, out to the battlefield he had so recently conquered.

It was bare, in its most basic state. In the center, Sabrina sat, Espeon across from her, apparently enthralled. As they approached, Ash could see that Espeon's legs and tail were surrounded by a light blue aura. It seemed that Sabrina was forced to hold the Pokémon in place.

"Ash. Misty. Welcome." Sabrina spoke without turning towards them. "I apologize for not allowing you to introduce yourself, but it's easier to maintain focus with my mind opened. Being surprised and releasing Espeon by accident would be a grave mistake. All the reasons that Espeon is good for testing make her dangerous if released."

"Don't sweat it, Sabrina," Ash said. He and Misty sat down with her, forming a sort of diamond. Pikachu climbed down and sniffed at Espeon.

"She won't respond. I'm in mental contact with her. The real Espeon, not the Chained part in control; I was able to get through to the real version without too much trouble. But she's terrified. I wish Brian was here to help calm her. It would be most fortunate. Her mind, and thus the link I can barely detect, is in constant flux. I might be able to cut it off, temporarily, but she needs to be calm and stable. I can't do anything more to help with that." Sabrina didn't open her eyes, but her forehead furrowed. "If you have any ideas, please, let me know them."

"I don't have much for utility… I could pet her." Misty reached towards Espeon.

"Stop!" Her hand froze as Sabrina cried out. "She does not notice you and she is calm. A strange touch may tense her and ruin all I've done."

Ash nodded. "Well… if not a touch… if Meganium used Aromatherapy, would that calm her down?"

Sabrina had to think for a moment. "If you can keep her quiet, and use very little, it might help. But be careful. This is harder than it appears, Ash."

Ash stood up and walked away, stepping into a run as he got further out. At the edge of the field he released Meganium. Her happy cry, while noticeable, wasn't enough to rouse Espeon. Ash quickly shushed his Pokémon and talked to her softly, explaining what he needed. They returned, and Meganium lowered her head as a light colored powder came from her flower. It left a feeling of serenity and happiness in them all as some of it landed on each of them, but the majority floated down onto Espeon. She relaxed, and lay down.

Sabrina sighed happily. "Thank you. She's docile. It's not total, but it definitely helps. Even the Chained part has stopped fighting me. I can focus on the connection now."

"Thank you, Meganium. Return." The grass-type disappeared.

"Is there anything else we can do?" Misty asked again.

_Be here. And ready to fight. Just in case I fail, and she breaks free._ She spoke directly into their minds, too focused even to speak. Ash, Misty, and Pikachu saw sweat bead on her brow. A strong blue aura surrounded Sabrina and Espeon, and they could see the red fragment shining like an ember through her magenta fur. Espeon growled, them mewled, and growled again.

A spike of pain shot into their heads, and Ash and Misty both hissed at the feeling. Sabrina was letting loose. They could hear her thoughts, now, bleeding into their minds, shifting randomly. Words of fragmented sentences joined with emotions assaulted them.

_I can't… it's unbreakable can't break have to contain separate at source break there cut off good there but too strong breaking past!_

For an instant the light from the Red Chain flickered, then shone again.

_I had it, just have to hold harder, I'm a psychic, __**the**__ psychic and I'm strong enough damn it! I know this I'm strong fight layer layer layer on the source now press hard hold back hold back __**hold back!**_

Her thoughts and feelings flickered out and left the three bystanders, but even so they felt her triumph. The light from the Red Chain had gone out. Espeon mewled again, this time happily. Freely.

"Sabrina, you did it!" Ash laughed with glee. "It worked! You can free them all!"

"Yes!" Misty shot up with him.

Sabrina gasped. "No! No, I can't do that. This is strong, Ash. It's easier now, but holding back one stream of psychic orders is wearing on me already. It's not a cap. It's constant effort to make sure none of that gets through to Espeon. And I must not break."

Their smiles faltered. "So… what can you do?"

Sabrina released the bonds she had on Espeon, and the Pokémon walked over to her, making happy noises and rubbing against her. "Espeon is operating of her own will, for now. But I have to fight to keep it that way. I can't do that while I sleep, if I get too tired, if I get knocked out or distracted a lot… It's not a permanent solution, and I never thought it would be. I'm sorry. For now, this is the best I can do." She sighed. "I'll keep trying, of course. I may improve, or find a better way."

Misty laughed again. "This is better than we could have hoped so quickly, Sabrina! You've done amazing. We've still got some time, right?"

Ash hugged Misty with one arm and grinned. "Right. We can hold out a few more days. And we can get more help for you, Sabrina. Somehow."

She shook her head. "I think this I have to do alone. But I'll keep that in mind." She smiled weakly. "Thank you for your kindness. I don't deserve it."

"Oh, you idiot, come here." Misty walked over to her and hugged her. "Stop being so pitiful, for Arceus' sake. You're going to piss me off."

Sabrina laughed lightly. "And you're going to distract me. But I appreciate it."

"I said before, don't worry about—"

"Quiet!" Ash held up a hand and cocked his head. Pikachu did the same, and his fur bristled.

Pikachu spoke urgently to his trainer. "Pikapi. Ka pachu."

Misty looked at him. "Ash? What's wrong?"

He put a finger to his lips, glaring at her. They all listened.

Far, far away, they heard an incredibly loud roar.

Ash grit his teeth. "That's an Exploud. The alarm."

Sabrina paled, and Misty went red with anger. "They're attacking? Now? This close to sundown?" The redhead glared at the sky.

Ash looked at Sabrina sharply. "Be honest. Can you fight at all?"

She shook her head and stared at the ground. "Absolutely not. My attention would be divided. And the Chained can break my concentration when they're focused together. I'm sorry, but I would be useless."

"It's alright, Sabrina. We can hold out. But we need to move fast." Ash selected Charizard and released him as he spoke. "Misty and I will go fly to the pass and help out. I need you there, Sabrina. We all need to be at the battle. Walk or find a ride to the front, and we'll be there." Ash jumped on and helped Misty behind him, and Charizard took off as fast as he could, flying out of the battlefield and immediately turning towards the front line. Their Pokémon all knew what the alarm meant, and he knew where to go without being told.

Ash growled as they rose out of the stadium. The pass was in shadow, and he couldn't see what was going on. But it didn't look like a battle, at least not yet. He would have seen bursts of light down in it if there was a fight going on.

"See anything?" Ash shouted to Misty.

"Nothing! I'm keeping my eyes open, but it's too dark to see there!" Misty looked down, behind them, and searched the skies around. She spotted a pair of figures. "Ash! Left of us, and a little behind!"

He turned his head. "I see them. Can you recognize the shapes?"

She squinted, and was barely able to make out the shapes of the silhouettes. "They're Dragonites. Probably Lance and Brian, plus whoever is with them."

Charizard glanced back at Ash. "They can see us just as easy as we see them. Keep going ahead. They'll meet us at the landing site." The firestarter huffed and looked back ahead, going into a dive at the guard station at the edge of the shadows, where the alarm was sounding.

The moment they landed, Ash was rolling off of Charizard with Pikachu, stumbling away towards the guard tent with Misty hot on their heels.

"Who's there?" he shouted. "Why did you set off the alarm?"

Two teenage trainers came around at a run, nearly colliding with him. "Master Ketchum!" the girl gasped.

He stopped, recognizing her. "Cassie? You again?"

Cassie's long hair flew madly around her as her head shook. "Sir, there's no time! Koga! He's going to them!"

Misty came to a stop behind Ash. "Koga? Surrendering?"

"He's _attacking!_" Cassie cried. "He said he's going to start the battle now and force them to start fighting back!"

Ash went cold. "He didn't mean he was going to run away. He meant he would attack them directly. Forcing us to do what he wants to keep them from pouring through. Damn him!" His hands balled into fists, and he glared towards the pass." Cassie, tell anyone who comes through what you just told us. We have to stop him before he can start!" Ash motioned to Misty, and they sprinted with Pikachu into the growing shadow of the cliffs.

For a moment, the three of them saw nothing but black, but their eyes soon adjusted to the gloom, and they could see Koga, with three of his Pokémon out, waiting.

And beyond the narrow pass, they could see the throng of the Chained approaching, almost to the bottleneck point.

"Koga!" Ash cried. "Stop this!"

"Think about what you're doing!" Misty added.

Koga glanced behind him. "I have thought. This is the only way we might win, Ketchum, Waterflower. Hate me if you must, but I will not let Kanto go without a fight." He looked forward, as the first of the Chained trainers released Pokémon for battle. "They're already coming. I could not stop them if I wished to do so. Join me or leave me to fight alone, but choose quickly."

"You know they'll spill past you if we leave you alone," Misty accused. She released Gyarados and stood with him, glaring. "Don't try to justify this to yourself by pretending to give us the choice."

Koga smiled. "You underestimate me, Master Waterflower." With that, he started barking orders. "Venomoth, Silver Wind! Toxicroak, Sludge Bomb, and Crobat use Air Cutter! Keep the spread up in turns to conserve energy, and make sure the weaker Pokémon go down first!"

"Misty!" Ash called. "If Gyarados uses Hydro Pump on the stronger Pokémon, Pikachu can finish off almost anything with Thunderbolt once it's soaked!"

She nodded to him. "I'm all over it! Gyarados, Hydro Pump! Try to keep it from overwhelming our other attacks!" Gyarados roared and joined Koga's Pokémon in their preemptive attack, bowling over the Pokémon and their Chained trainers as they got too close, and pushing back the weak Pokémon that were being knocked out by Koga.

"You know what to do, buddy," Ash said to Pikachu. "Aim for the wet ones… and try not to hurt them too bad."

Pikachu faced the pass, bristling "Pi, pika pichu, Pikapi."

"Ash!" From behind them, the three trainers heard footsteps coming towards them. Ash turned to look, and saw Lance, Brian, and Natalia coming to a stop. Behind them, he could see Red landing his Charizard with Lorelei, and Erika and Bruno riding up from behind on his Onix.

"Koga, you dirty son of a bitch," Brian growled. "You deceived us."

"You'll pay dearly for betraying us," Lance vowed coldly.

"Now's not the time to fight about it," Ash snapped. "We can hold the weak trainers here with just a few Pokemon, but eventually something will fight back and give cover, or our Pokémon will get tired, or a strong Pokémon like Steelix will just break through our attacks and scatter us. I think five or six strong trainers here will be enough to hold at one time. We can trade out in shifts after a while, so everyone will stay strong… but just in case, I think everyone able to fight needs to stay close. Bring some of the extra tents up and set them up for rest areas, and get every accomplished trainer willing to fight up there with you, by the guard station. And keep a lookout, just in case the people up here need help. You got everything?"

"I, uh… No." Brian replied. "I don't remember half of that."

"You two should stay," Natty said, starting to back away. "I know what you said, Ash. I can help get it all set up better than I can fight, for now. Play to my strengths." She ran back towards the area of fading light, catching Red and Lorelei and pulling them back with her towards the guard station.

Lance released Dragonite and stood with him wordlessly, watching the fight.

"Okay. Electric, Poison, Water, Dragon. Add fire. Magmortar!"

As the fire monster roared out, Ash looked at his friend. "Magmortar? I thought you had Komodo with you."

Brian's face was emotionless; only his clenched fists and a minor tremble betrayed the hate and rage inside. "He was paralyzed and crashed in Celadon, Ash. I thought I told you. _They_ have him now." As he said _they_, his left hand crept to and squeezed the hilt of his sword. He'd started wearing it again since they came back to the Plateau.

Ash shook his head and turned back to the fight as Pikachu let loose a Thunderbolt to fell a charging Seviper. "I forgot. I'm really sorry, Brian."

"We'll get him back," Misty assured. "We'll get them all back." Brian was quiet, only muttering a few words to Magmortar that went unheard under the sounds of battle. Magmortar held out his cannon-like hands and started pinpointing blasts of flame into the already-packed hall of rock.

"At least it's easy to keep them away," Ash said.

Brian scoffed. "For now. We will slip up, eventually. It is inevitable."

For a moment, the only sound was the cries of Pokémon falling and the attacks that struck them.

"When they break through, we'll be ready," Ash insisted. "We're the best. We're here for a reason. We won't just… fall. Not like that, not when we can rest and cycle. They'll bring stronger trainers, and they'll break through, and we'll stop them here. No more politics, no more fear of starving. They'll try to break through, and we'll knock them back. We can do that. We can fight them here all night long."

"Ha!" With a barking laugh, Koga looked at Ash and smiled. "I thought you didn't want to fight, Ketchum. I misjudged your bravery."

Ash glared back at him. "Shut up right now. I said we can hold them off, not win. If Misty and I hadn't seen Sabrina do something amazing right before this, I'd still think we had no chance. This battle is just tiring us, Koga. It's a risk we didn't have to take, and if she figures something out and we still make it through this, I'm still going to make you pay for it."

Koga nodded briskly. "Understood, and accepted. If you still think that way after we succeed, I'll make sure you remember."

Brian growled at the old leader. "Trust me, he won't have to."

"Everyone, stop!" Misty's snapping remark was taken as an order to stop bickering until she added, "Stop attacking! They're pulling back!"

In their arguing, they hadn't noticed the stream of Pokémon attempting to break through slow to a trickle, and then stop completely. They could barely see a few of the Pokémon gathered there, lit by the few Fire pokémon scattered around, but they could see the wave pulling back a short distance. The five Pokémon accompanying them stopped their waves of assault, and the light and sound that had been issuing from them ceased as well, leaving the area around the pass shrouded in darkness.

Koga laughed again. "I told you we could drive them off! If I'd known to expect such cowardice, I would have told you to leave it to me!"

"They're regrouping," Lance corrected. "There's no point in attacking as they were; it's a waste of resources. They'll be back when they believe they have a way to break through."

"Of course," Ash sighed.

"I'm guessing that they're going to use Pokémon like Steelix and Onix," Misty said. "Big, bulky, strong…"

Brian nodded. "Widen the pass somewhat, and break through with a defense we can't match in the space we would have to attack. Then push while we're distracted by the first wave."

"Then… should I call more backup?" Ash asked.

"They'll use ground and steel for the first wave," Misty clarified. "That's for sure. I think if Brian and I focus on them, we can do it alone while you stand guard. Maybe… ask for one or two more, if that happens. If we focus, we'll be done quickly, and…"

She stopped, her cheeks paling a little as she remembered. The ones they had focused on in Celadon…

Brian's voice was hoarse as he spoke to her, having come to the same thought. "It…" He licked his lips and tried again. "It can't be helped. We have to do it, Misty, all of us. We can try to close them off from their Pokémon once we defeat them, maybe try wide-range paralysis, but if Quasar wants them dead, they're dead already and there's nothing we can do. They'll claw out their throats, if nothing else."

Misty closed her eyes. "I know."

"How long?" Ash asked aloud. "Until they come back?"

"Who knows?" Koga replied. "But we'll be here. Ready."

The trainers and their Pokémon braced themselves, staring into the dark valley beyond the pass, where shadows moved about in faint flames. They watched the Chained silently build up strength. And they waited for the strike to come.

* * *

Quasar was wheeled, quietly, through the "civilians" (or, rather, the not-trainers) at the back of the throng outside the plateau. They moved away from him reverently, clearing a path as one of them pushed him from behind in a wheelchair.

He hated relying on one of his puppets to move _him_ about, but it had proved necessary. He was constantly making adjustments and orders at the front, and could no longer keep track of his own body well enough to trust himself to walk. After all the raids, taking over Cerulean, Pewter, Lavender, Saffron, Vermillion, and Fuchsia, and all the stragglers between there and here, the Chained numbered at least six million, possibly more. So many minds, all directly linked to him, each wearing the tiniest bit on his conscious mind. Of late he would find himself drifting through the collective consciousness of the Chained, whether he wanted to or not. His fragmented mind had come up with an idea to try out, but it couldn't be implemented yet, not until he ended the resistance at the Plateau and had the time to do so. For now, he would have to use the chair so he could move without focusing on it.

He had come to bear witness, with his own eyes, as Kanto fell. A bit of hubris, but he had thought it out. He wouldn't reveal himself, not until the fighting stopped, but he would be here to watch, to join in the final push as the six he had pursued were either captured, or fled for their lives. The odds of them picking him out of such a dense crowd, now that he was in a new uniform and had aged a few years, were quite impossible. He was content with that far-fetched risk.

In all honesty, the risk of an emotional loop making him faint or die was far greater. The shock he had felt when the leader Koga had struck the pass, driving back his front watch and demanding a battle, was the greatest danger he faced, as it multiplied through six million minds and returned to him. He had finally had to remove the Red Chain for a moment while he recovered, and was able to order the groups under him back into emotional silence. He was more troubled by that loop than by anything happening in the battle.

It wasn't important, anyway. He wouldn't be fighting at all if there was a chance of things not going his way, and he had judged that he could keep his plans going forward if he pushed without breaking them. But he needed the league there, where they were, effortlessly destroying everything sent against them. Their emotional high from doing so well would make them ever more susceptible to the last wave, when the chance of capturing them all would be highest. He had pulled back, to keep them on their toes, but that had been done for long enough.

Strategy. He needed some semblance of structure to his attack, to seem as though it was truly important. What would strategy demand that he do right now, if he intended to actually push them back from their position? He would… hmm…

He supposed he would have to push with something strong, an attack that could break through rock to widen the stone edges. Give them something to fight. If that was what they expected, that is what he needed to give.

The order went out. His trainers would know what specifically to do, when they spoke together. Not until the end would he pay full attention to the exact workings of the battle, if only because he would enjoy watching it at the last, when it fell apart.

"How many Pokémon have been sent around the site?" Quasar asked. "Just give a rough estimate at last count, I don't need the exact number."

From behind him, Giovanni spoke. "There have been roughly seventy thousand captures to date, sir, all of them moving into place. Six thousand are large types, and are distributed evenly as such. No Legendary Pokémon have been captured as of yet, but several have been tracked. They seem to avoid those carrying the Red Chain, as if they innately recognize the danger even at a distance."

"Keep tracking those numbers, Giovanni. And start moving them forward." Quasar had better things to do than count every single person and Pokémon he was linked to, and he had delegated that task to Giovanni. The man was a genius, of a certain sort, and was able to track it far better than Quasar could, even if he wished to try. What was left of his mind now rolled Quasar around: under orders, every single Chained could think with multiple levels. As the link between them widened, it was even becoming possible for them to borrow the mental power of each other, sharing tasks around for the benefit of the whole. Truly, humanity was far better under control. Under _his _control.

A roar and a thundering crash of sound brought Quasar back to his own body with a start. He focused on calming himself quickly, cutting the loop before it could start, and searched through those ahead to see what was happening.

* * *

A cloud of earthy dust exploded out of the rock as three Steelix, much too wide to get through normally, forced their way together through the rocky walls of the pass, sending rocks flying everywhere as they crashed through everything in their way with a mighty roar.

Ash dashed forward to pull Pikachu back, and started running to the right side, out of the way of the three monstrous Steel Pokémon. "Magmortar, Fire Blast! Get them before they move further!"

"Order your own Pokémon, Ash!" Brian complained as Magmortar held up its arm cannons and shot a powerful stream of incredibly hot flame into the dust, where the faint outlines of a Steelix could be seen. A higher, keening roar was heard, followed by a grinding as it charged.

"It can't see us! Dodge and continue!" Brian sprinted towards Ash, Magmortar joining him as he ran.

On the other side of the pass, Koga, Lance, and Misty were fighting just as hard.

Koga held an arm over his mouth, coughing out dust. "Venomoth, use Whirlwind and get this cloud away! We need to see what's behind the Steelix!"

Misty squinted through the dark and the cloud. "Hydro Pump, Gyarados! As big as they are, you're bound to hit one if you aim for where they were!"

Venomoth flapped its wings rapidly, spinning up a miniature sandstorm that blew the dirt out of the air, as Gyarados shot a stream of water into the dark towards the two Steelix still fighting through the pass. The dust cleared away just as the attack hit, and it caught the Steelix closer to them, knocking its head into its fellow. Both of them shook their heads and roared, more angry than hurt. They flew at Gyarados in a rage.

Lance stared them down, refusing to budge. "Hyper Beam." Dragonite roared back, sending a lance of orange at the Steelix that had already been hit. It was too angry at Gyarados to even attempt to dodge, and the attack hit it full-force, sending it tumbling end-over-end into the stone face of the mountain. The last Steelix kept charging.

"We've got this. Go cover whatever's following these Steelix!" Misty ordered her fellows. "Gyarados, use Aqua Tail and knock it away!"

Gyarados rushed towards his opponent as water spiraled around his tail. As he met the Steelix, Gyarados leapt and spun around, smashing Steelix aside with the attack. He roared a challenge at the Pokémon once it fell, but the Steelix didn't rise. Satisfied, Gyarados returned to Misty's side.

"Good job, Gyarados. Come on!" They ran to rejoin Lance and Koga, who had begun bombarding a steady stream of advancing Pokémon following behind the three Steel-types.

"Magmortar, get in close, and hit it with a Lava Plume!" Brian ordered. "Ash, can you get around to help the others while we hold its attention?"

Ash nodded. "You've got it. Pikachu, come on!"

"Pi, Pikapi!" Pikachu ran ahead of Ash, leading around the Steelix as it and Magmortar charged one another.

Magmortar stopped as it closed with Steelix and planted his feet. He raised his arms, and the ground around him cracked open, releasing a burst of smoke and fire that surrounded them both, obscuring whatever was happening.

"Dodge it!" Brian yelled at the last second. He heard Steelix roar, and something hit the ground. "Did you get it?" The smoke started to clear away.

Steelix rose over Magmortar, who had been struck and knocked to the ground. Steelix grunted at Magmortar as he struggled to get up, spinning and knocking him back towards Brian with an Iron Tail.

Brian grit his teeth. "Oh, that is such _bullshit. _Let's see how it takes round it again, Magmortar. Fire Blast." Steelix looked up, growled, and dashed at him. "Magmortar?" He looked down, and realized that Magmortar was more than down; he was knocked out. "Oh." Brian looked back up, his hands automatically flying for a new Pokémon even as his mind told him it was too late, as Steelix bore down upon him.

"Damn," Brian said plainly. At the last second, he closed his eyes.

He heard Steelix roar once again, but rather than the impact he expected, there was a crash to his left. Tentatively, he opened his eyes, just as a Charizard flew by, having hit Steelix with another Fire Blast that knocked it aside. The Charizard landed next to the fallen Pokémon, and a pair of Trainers jumped off of it.

"You looked like you could use some help." Lorelei adjusted her glasses and snapped a Pokéball from her side, and Red joined her with his Charizard, the Steelix having fainted away.

Brian released a shaky breath, and his legs gave way, sending him to his knees. "Th-thanks. I thought I was..."

"Well, you're not. So come on. We've work to do." She released a Dewgong, and she and Red joined the other four trainers in their defensive line.

"Right. Yeah." Brian stood up, recalling Magmortar and sending out Roserade.

As Roserade joined in with Bullet Seed, Ash looked out at what was being done. Something about it all seemed inherently wrong.

It was simple, really. They were just too much. It was effortless to hold the line against what was coming. The pass was lit up with fire and lightning and blasts of glowing energy, forming a wall that nothing could get past. But it tore at him, somewhere deep within, watching this. It wasn't a fair fight, it wasn't even an attempt to be fair. The Pokémon coming at them, Ash knew, were innocent. Either controlled directly or following their controlled trainers, just as they had always done. As they always would, even to this end. And he, they, were making the Pokémon hurt for it.

And his eyes, darting back and forth, picked up each Pokémon as it fell, naming them off silently for himself. Wartortle. Deino. Krabby and Kingler, together. A Charizard, smaller and weaker than his own but otherwise much the same. They all came, all strived their best, and couldn't even get close enough to make a difference. Five—no, seven now—seven master trainers were insurmountable in these conditions. Ash loved battling, loved the spirit of it. But not this one-sided struggle. It was wrong. It made him feel as though fighting was the wrong thing to do.

"It's brutal." Misty must have seen the look on Ash's face.

"It is," Ash agreed. "It's wrong, hurting them like this."

"We will do what we have to do to stay safe," Red said, the smallest bit of effort behind his words betraying his deeper feelings on the matter. "Just be glad it's not another Celadon, or Saffron. And… try not to think about it."

Ash sighed. He knew it was what they needed. "All the same, though, I hope they stop attacking soon." He squatted down. "Pikachu, come rest. Don't hurt yourself." He sent out another Pokémon as Pikachu stopped shooting lightning and walked back toward him, breathing hard. "Glalie, Icy Wind."

Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder and nuzzled against him as the Ice Pokémon took his place. "Pikapi, pikachu pi chukka chu."

"I know you could have, but I don't want you to push until you drop like you did in Celadon." Ash reached up and rubbed the mouse Pokémon's head. "We've lost too much already for me to lose you too."

The tide of attack ebbed and flowed, and time raced on as they watched.

* * *

How long did it take for seventy thousand Pokémon to get into place?

Quasar was beginning to grow impatient, just sitting here for so long. There was only so much he could do now that all his pawns were in motion, and watching the collective force of the Pokémon League demolish all comers got old extremely fast, even if it was what he expected to happen. He needed to move forward. "Giovanni. Tell me how the attack is advancing."

There was a long moment of silence from the former leader of Team Rocket as he thought. It was taking longer each time, Quasar noticed. Pokémon had different minds than humans… perhaps prolonged direct contact was adversely affecting Giovanni after all. He would have to research that. It would do little good to be driven mad, now that he had already essentially reached his goals.

Finally, Giovanni spoke. "The Pokémon are in position, with a slight margin of error from the more resilient types. They can begin the next stage when ready."

Quasar grinned without realizing it. "Excellent. Keep tracking and relaying orders." Quasar directed the useless trainers at the front to stop throwing Pokémon through the pass, and at the same time he made a direction to send a smaller group forward.

"Start the push." Quasar ordered, his eyes lighting up with excitement. "Get everything ready, and close the trap tight!" Giovanni was silent and still again, his mind retreating into itself.

And in the mountains around the Indigo Plateau, a circle of seventy-six thousand Pokémon started to climb.

* * *

"They're withdrawing again!"

"About time." Ash sighed wearily. "What time _is_ it, anyway?"

"Just past one in the morning," he heard back from Bruno. "You need to tap out?"

He shook his head. "No. I'm fine. We can keep going."

Ash was the only one who had yet to take at least a short break. Misty, Brian, and Red were still with him, as they had left earlier and returned, but Lorelei, Koga and Lance had retired to get some sleep. Erika, Bruno, and Daisy had taken over for them. But Ash was still effective, and as long as his Pokémon were willing to fight (and they would never give up before him), no one was going to try to make him go.

Daisy walked to her Dewgong, rubbing her head absently while she looked at the scarred battlefield. "What's next?"

Brian sat down next to Slifer, and mused. "They tried brute force earlier, and it failed. They might try again, with a larger attacking force, but Pokémon that large and strong are rarely trained. Even in a group of thousands of trainers, there would only be so many. I mean, we are the elite of the trainer core. Most trainers don't carry more than a couple of Pokémon, and most aren't that good with them. Otherwise we'd never be able to stand our ground here. I doubt they'll try another attack like that."

"They'll send the best trainers they have to challenge us." Ash nodded to himself, certain he was right. "It's what the Chained did in Celadon, remember? Distract us with the ones that could really fight. And make us hurt even if we win."

A shudder ran through them all. "But… we could stop them this time," Erika protested. "They'd have to isolate themselves to come attack us, right? If we defeated them, they wouldn't be able to kill themselves, or have the other controlled Pokémon do it."

Brian shook his head. "It'd be hard. We'd have to incapacitate them before they could hurt themselves, then get them to safety without opening ourselves to being touched by the Red Chain. And without letting up our guard. Even if we could, though…" He looked down, and his voice got very small. "I don't know about all of you, but I… I don't think I could force myself to take them back to camp. Not with… him… inside them."

There was a familiar roar. The trainers snapped to attention, staring into the abyss.

"Another Steelix?" Misty said, recognizing it as the same from before.

Ash scratched his head. "Sounds like it. Maybe I was wrong…"

"We'll stop them again if they try the same thing," Red said with a nod.

At the edge of their vision, shadows coalesced into silhouettes, moving slowly towards them. At the head of the group was a Steelix, but it didn't rush them, or even attack. It moved to the edge of their vision, where they could barely see it, and lifted its tail to show a small group behind it. Misty and Erika gasped. The others were equally shocked and speechless.

Ash had been correct in his assumption that a group of trainers would come to face them, the very best that could be found. What he had failed to realize was that, if he really thought about it, he probably _knew_ most of the best trainers in the Chained.

Brock grinned at him, for all the world looking like nothing had ever happened. "It's been too long, Ash."

"Brock!" Ash choked out without thinking. "Don't do this!"

Brock's eyes flashed red, and his words took on a new cadence, though the voice remained the same. "Save your breath, Ketchum. The Brock you know is far beyond your ability to reach."

"Quasar." Brian spat. "I showed you mercy, you bastard. I swear I'm going to kill you this time! I'll do whatever it takes!"

"Kill me?" he replied, regaining his hellish grin. "How do you plan to do that, when _there are so many of me to kill?_" At the end of his question the rest of the trainers with Brock joined in, and slowly walked to mirror the stances of the seven battlers, standing with their backs to the cliffside. It looked as though it was everyone who had been taken. Will from Saffron. Surge and Karen from Celadon. It seemed he'd even found Agatha, somewhere along the way. And last…

"Lily! Violet! _Nooo!_" Bruno had to grab Daisy to stop her from running to her sisters. She tried to fight him off, but he held strong.

"No. Stay here. There's nothing you can do." He quavered and stared at Surge as he spoke; it was clear he was not only talking to himself. She fought him for a moment more, beating his chest with weakening blows, before sobbing and standing still.

On the other end of the line, Misty trembled at the sight of Violet across from her. The blue-haired girl smirked at her. "What's wrong, runt? Nothing to say to your big sister?"

A strangled sob escaped Misty. "Go to hell, Quasar," she said, her voice rough with grief.

"Why?" Ash shook with anger as he glared through Brock's eyes.

"I am testing you," Brock replied. "All of you have fought so valiantly, with such strength and fire. I wonder, though, how far that resolve goes. And here we are." Brock turned his back on them. "I bring out your friends, with no defenses. They are of your kind, on your levels, but only when they fight. You could end it now. Any of you could."

Ash growled at him through grit teeth. He shouted at Brock. "You know we can't do that! We can't just attack our friends, our allies!"

"No."

Brock and Ash both looked towards Brian. The man trembled slightly.

"You think… you honestly think I wouldn't do it? I told you, Quasar." Brian drew his sword, and leveled it at Brock. "I told you I'd kill you. I swore it. And I'm tired of ignoring that promise!"

Ash turned towards his friend. "Brian! Put that down _now!_ I won't let you try to harm our friends, no matter how lost they are! We still have a chance to save them!"

"Think about what you're doing!" Misty cried.

"I have!" Brian pointed at Brock with his free hand. "I stood in those shoes. You don't know… you can't know how it feels to be under his control! That… that nightmare… I won't live it again. And I won't let it happen to anyone else!" Brian laughed frantically. "I told you the Chained had a weak point. We weren't… I wasn't willing to exploit it, but here, at the end… it's the only way we can survive!" He finally ran at Brock. "I'm sorry, but it's the only _way!_" Brian drew back his arm to stab at Brock.

A thin bolt of electricity flew from Ash's shoulder before he had time to ask for it. It struck Brian in the leg, and he fell before running more than a couple of steps. He slammed into the ground far short of his quarry.

"Pichupipi!" Pikachu leapt down from Ash's shoulder. "Pikapi pi Pichupi chaka!"

"Brian, what the hell is _wrong_ with you?" Ash erupted at him as he, Misty and Pikachu dashed forward.

Brian struggled to his feet, using his re-sheathed blade as support for his twitching leg. "The bastard is right, Ash. We're so soft. Even at this end, we can't do what we have to do."

"We're not killing anyone," Bruno said. "Wasn't it you who was asking us to stall for another way, a way to free them?"

Brian refused to answer as Ash and Misty helped him back to his spot.

Brock laughed. "Free us? Really?" He faced them again, as did the rest of the seven Chained. "You don't even know if it's possible, and _that_ was your plan?" He smirked. "I overestimated the League, it seems. I thought I would have to contend with some strategy, but it seems your only option was praying for a miracle. I can understand why the Poison leader attacked so recklessly, if your hopes were that slim."

Ash opened his mouth to retort. He had seen Sabrina pull off that miracle, and…

A noise from Misty made him stop. She was shaking her head at him, moving as little as she could to get the point across.

Apparently Quasar didn't realize that the Chain wasn't perfect. He wouldn't lie about something he knew they knew. So he didn't know about Sabrina and Espeon. He couldn't detect it, somehow. And the longer the option remained unknown to him, the better off they were developing it, for however long they held out.

Luckily, Quasar hadn't noticed Ash's action through any of his puppets, enthralled in his plans as he was. "Alright, then. If none of you are willing to make the choice, then we will continue." The Chained took it in turns to speak, going down the line from Karen.

"You know why we're here."

"To battle you, for your friends' lives and your own."

"Each of you will fight us, one on one."

"If any of you fail, the Chained will resume attacking from behind us, as they were before, and overwhelm you and all that remains of Kanto."

"If not, we will make no attempt to flee with your friends' bodies."

"If you can capture them from my armies, they're yours."

"Assuming you can take them alive, that is." All seven of them grinned at that, and they each took a Pokéball and held it out.

Brock spoke for them once more as his Steelix edged to his side. "Will you accept my terms?"

Ash looked to both sides, gauging his allies. To his left, Red and Bruno had already recalled their Pokémon and had another prepared. As he watched, Daisy shakily did the same, and Red gave him a curt nod of agreement.

"Anything to stall for time," he said.

On the other side, Misty, Erika, and Brian were prepared to throw as well.

"Alright," Ash exclaimed. "We'll take your battle. And we'll get all our friends back! I know that they'll fight you and help us to win. So we can't lose!" He readied Charizard's ball.

Brock grinned and raised his free hand. "Okay! This match will consist of seven individual battles! Each trainer may use all available Pokémon, and is eliminated when all their Pokémon are unable to battle!"

Ash scowled at Quasar-Brock's mockery of the League rules. "Just start already, damn you!"

He laughed. "If you say so, Ash!" The seven Chained threw their Pokéballs into the air together. "Begin!"

_Finally, _Ash thought. _A fair battle._ As his allies threw their Pokémon around him, Ash called "Let's go, Charizard! Fire Blast!"

"Crush it, Steelix. Iron Tail!"

Charizard stood his ground and attacked, forcing Steelix to charge through the flame to reach him, only to cancel it and leap into the air as the Steel-type got close.

Ash felt a surge of triumph at Charizard's quick thinking. He had trained his Pokémon well, and Brock wasn't his match anymore, with his slow Pokémon and focus on Rock. Ash knew he could win.

_I'll save you, Brock. And Sabrina will set you free. You'll see._

* * *

In a small tent near the center of the plateau camp, a father woke up rather suddenly. He sat up in his cot.

"Alistair?" There was no answer, but the man saw the sleeping boy in his place next to his parents. That was not what had awoken him. He stood up and listened.

Far away, he heard roars. And just under that, screams. A few moments later, he realized he was hearing them again, closer, but from the other direction. The man slipped on his shoes and stuck his head outside.

At the edges of the camp and throughout the buildings around that comprised the Pokémon League, he could see faint lights and smoke. And under the screams (which were getting closer) he could hear a great many pounding footsteps.

His blood ran cold.

The man pulled his head back into the tent. "Elsie! Alistair, wake up! Get up, quickly!"

His wife bolted awake, while his son, arose groggily. "What is it, Louis?" Elsie asked worriedly.

"Something is coming. We need to get away! Get your shoes on, quickly!"

As his wife stepped into her shoes, Alistair started to cry. "D-Daddy?" His voice hitched. "I-I'm scared, daddy. What's happening? Do we have to move again?"

Louis hurried to his son, putting the boy's shoes onto his feet. "It's alright, son. I'm here. We're together." He knelt with his back to the boy. "Come on, son. Jump on." He let Alistair loop his hands around his neck, and grabbed his ankles.

"Where is Cassie?" Elsie asked.

He stood up. "She didn't come home after the alarm sounded. She may be helping. Come on!" Louis led them out of the tent.

They weren't the only ones outside anymore. Several other families around had heard and were moving. Shouts of disbelief and confusion filled the air. Then the screams got closer, as a buzzing swarm flew overhead.

Someone recognized the silhouettes against the starry sky. "It's Beedrill! Get to shelter!"

A thin rain of glowing shot fell from the swarm, concentrated a hundred yards from Louis' family. He heard more screams of pain, and saw fire flare up towards the Bug-types. Elsie cried out as they approached; Louis and his son were too shocked to do more than stare.

A burst of wind disrupted the swarm before they could attack, and a glowing shape darted through what was left, knocking many of the Beedrill out of the air. The Pokémon circled back over the area, and a trainer on its back shouted a message to them.

"Wild Pokémon are attacking from the east, north, and west! We need any available trainers to help hold them back as best we can. Everyone else, head south and find any shelter you can!" The bird Pokémon gave a loud cry and flew away, presumably to repeat the message.

"Cassie!" Elsie said through tears. "We have to find her!"

"Where's sissy, dad?" Alistair asked.

He looked to the sky, where battles could be seen getting closer as Pokémon approached. "We can't look for her if she's in the fight. We don't have any Pokémon to defend ourselves." Louis closed his eyes, demanding himself to stay calm. "We have to go south like they said. If we hold out, we'll be reunited with her." He reached out and took his wife's hand. "Come on, Elsie. We've got to get away from here."

With a fearful sob, she gripped his and turned away from the fight with him. They walked through families bidding tearful goodbyes to trainers as they headed to the fight, and others joined their slow march south in search of shelter.

Soon Louis' family was only one in a massive mob, herded southward by an attack they couldn't defend against, searching for a shelter for them all that could never exist. Even as everyone chattered that the mob would eventually run into the Chained, there was no real fear of it. Their collective feelings, after the long days, the rough nights, the rationed food, and now this, had hit an absolute low. They knew nothing about the Chained, but really… Could they possibly be any worse?

* * *

Ash watched and waited for the few remaining battles to be finished.

He, Misty, Red, Brian, and Daisy had all won very quickly. Through Quasar choosing their opponents based on what would hurt them the most rather than which opponent had the skill to compete, they had all ended up with matchups that favored them. Either because they were too skilled, like Ash had been to Brock, or because they had a type advantage, like Red against Will. But Bruno was fighting a better opponent with the advantage, and Erika wasn't in Agatha's league at all. Her Pokémon were doing their very best, and yet they were dropping faster than Agatha's.

"What do we do if they lose?" Daisy asked.

"They won't lose!" Ash shouted. "Come on! You can pull it out, Erika!"

The normally unshakable young woman was crying from the sheer stress of it all, but her eyes were still fierce. "Dark Pulse, Shiftry!" The treelike Pokémon held out a hand and blasted Agatha's Gengar with a stream of dark violet rings, knocking it down and out.

"The advantage is still mine," Agatha said with a smile. "Lucky I was paired with such a weak opponent."

"Don't listen to her, Erika. You can do it!" Misty cheered.

_Ash_. He looked around reflexively upon hearing his named called, but soon realized the voice had been in his head. He thought back to it.

_Sabrina? I thought you were asleep?_

_I slept some and have awakened. I have been focusing on research. But you must look this way, quickly. Something is happening._

"What?" Ash faced the Plateau. The lights in the back of the camp had gone out, and he could see a few fires. And… Pokémon. Swarms of them, some in the sky and some on the ground. Another swarm was approaching them, almost to the places where the other League trainers were resting, but Ash soon recognized this group as humans.

Brian and Misty had heard Ash's cry and looked to him. "What's the matter, Ash?" Misty asked.

He ignored the question and confronted Brock. "Quasar! What did you do?" Pikachu bristled with him, growling at Brock.

Brock glared at the young Master. "I didn't break my rules, Ash. The Chained behind me will not attack unless we lose. However…" He began to smile. "I have not ever said that no one would attack. The Red Chain has been disseminated throughout the mountains around this place for days. I gave thousands of them to different Pokémon, and they have touched many, many more. All those Wild Pokémon have been filled with nothing but hate and rage at humanity, and told to attack your people here."

"You tricked us," Brian accused flatly.

"You allowed yourselves to be fooled," Brock shot back. "I gave you no reason to trust me. This is a war, not a game, and yet you seem to expect me to play by your league's childish rules!" He sneered. "And I have even been merciful! The Pokémon have not tried to convert your last people by force. They have no pieces of the Red Chain to do so. Your remaining humans are coming here because they have nowhere left to run."

"What do we do?" Daisy asked.

"We have to stop those people from coming any further!" Ash ordered. "Then we can go to the back and beat the wild Pokémon ourselves!"

"There are over seventy thousand Pokémon ready to attack," Brock interrupted. He held out a hand, and both Agatha and Surge recalled their Pokémon. "This battle is over, Ketchum. You can no longer hope to hold out against us. You would need everything you have to defeat either the Chained here or the Pokémon attacking the Plateau. Now surrender yourselves, or we will capture you and make you, and everyone you care for, suffer everything you can withstand for the rest of your miserable lives."

Ash was stopped completely dead by that threat. He glanced sidelong at Misty, but she caught him looking and glared, knowing what he was thinking better than Sabrina ever could. "Don't you even _think_ about giving up for my sake, Ash Ketchum! You know he can't be trusted!"

Ash gathered himself and rejected Quasar. "That's right! Why would I think of giving up when you just said you can't be trusted?"

Privately, Ash thought to Sabrina. _Sabrina? Please tell me you're still listening._

To his relief, he heard back _I am. There must be something we can do._

Brock called out his knocked out Steelix again, just so he could stand on the head, where the approaching mass of people could see him. "Very well, Ketchum. I won't ask you again. I don't need to." He raised his voice. "People of Kanto!" The crowds slowly stopped, the front line of them between the tents where the League lay and Ash's allies.

_I need you to be ready to teleport as many of us out of the Plateau as possible. Just… just in case. Can you do that, Sabrina?_

_I… yes. But I can't get all of the League, Ash. I don't have the strength._

_Do what you can._ Ash addressed Brock again. "What are you doing, Quasar? They won't listen to you!"

Brock ignored him and continued. "The time has come to end this conflict! Your League has led you here, with no plans to feed you, to protect you! I promise you, no harm will come if you accept the Red Chain. You have heard of me as a monster, but I tell you that I come to save you! I will give you back your homes! Your lives! Your freedom!" He gestured at the League. "And these people who style themselves as your protectors would stop me from doing that. Stop me without ever asking what _you_ want!"

Brian looked to the masses now, who were murmuring agreeably after Brock's speech. "You can't listen to him! The Red Chain will take over your mind! Leave you with no freedom at all!"

"He's forced my family to fight one another!" Misty cried. "He's evil! You have to let us protect you from the Chained!"

"What have I done that was evil?" Brock countered. "I brought the Chain without asking. It was too important! The world needed it! Three quarters of Kanto are united behind me in a way that the world has never seen. We can have a truly peaceful world! No crime, no fear, no unhappiness at all! All of this I offer you. But I will not make the decision for you. People of Kanto! Will you accept the Red Chain?"

On Ash's shoulder, Pikachu gave him a slight jolt, trying to get him to fight back. "Pikapi! Pi ka kapchu!"

Ash stared at his people. Many of them were looking at him with fear, with anger. He was supposed to be leading them, and here they were, ready to be led. Quasar had reached deep, played off of their fears, and it seemed that they might be on the edge. He needed a speech to rival his enemy's, something to give them hope to fight back, to push the Chained off until a true solution could be found. He needed to step up and tell them the truth. They needed to know why.

But as hard as he tried, Ash couldn't think of a single thing to say.

They heard a voice from the crowd. "I just want to go home!"

There were murmurs of agreement. Then, "I say we take the offer and get out of here!"

"My son needs a doctor!"

"I want real food again!"

"Lead us out of this!"

A flood of shouting poured forth, all of it agreeing to Quasar's deal. They started walking again, towards the pass and the Chained.

"Well, then. That will be that." Brock grinned at Ash, who was frozen in total shock. The Chained began walking out of the pass, ready to start spreading their will among a grateful populace, and the seven Chained that had fought walked away into the night. "You've lost."

_Ash! Tell me what's happening! Ash!_

Ash just stared at him. "We… we've lost Kanto."

"We've got to get out of here!" Misty shouted at him, grabbing his shoulders and shaking them. "Wake up, Ash! Call Charizard!"

Ash trembled and put his arms around her slowly and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Misty."_ Get us out, Sabrina. There's nothing we can do anymore._

Misty smacked his back and started to pull away. "What are you doing? We have to—"

The two of them disappeared in a flash of blue.

* * *

They reappeared, along with a few others, in absolute darkness. There were a series of thuds as they all fell to the ground.

"Ash!" Misty cried out in terror, unable to see if he had made it with her.

"Pikapi!" Near the same spot, Pikachu did the same.

"I'm here!" He scrambled towards them and took Misty's hand again, squeezing it to assure her of his presence. Pikachu jumped onto his back, licking his cheek in relieved earnest.

"Where is here?" Brian's voice. So he had made it too. "I'm sure Sabrina must h—" His voice caught for a moment. "N… Natty! Please, tell me you didn't leave her!"

There was a low groan. "Is this a dream?"

Brian stumbled through the dark towards the voice. "Natalia." He sighed shakily. "You made it."

"Who else?" Ash asked aloud.

"I… I am here." Erika's timid tones sounded into the night.

"And I am the last," Sabrina said. "I did my best, Ash. But as far away as I was, with so many people, it was hard to pinpoint those I didn't know very, very well. Erika was the only other I identified for certain before you told me to pull you out, and all I could do was go as far north of the Plateau as I could reach. Now what _happened?_"

Ash was very quiet for a moment, and when he finally spoke it was with difficulty. "Quasar attacked the campsite in secret, with wild Pokémon. He drove everyone we were protecting to him, and convinced them that they should join him. He's won. That's the last of Kanto."

"We couldn't save them," Brian mourned.

Misty spoke with a voice that made it clear she was crying. "They must have taken all our friends. Unless some of them are running. But Daisy wouldn't have. She said she would stay. She would have gone to Lily and Violet. That's…" She stopped, choking on her words, and had to breathe to start again. "That's the last of them, then."

"I slept through the end of the world," Natty said hollowly. "Then it's all gone. Everything we fought for.

Sabrina was silent for a few seconds, processing the information. "Then… what do we do?"

"Well…" Brian said. "I've been wondering about that. Ever since I thought that Quasar would win. And now that he has, I can only think of two options. We can go to Johto or Orre or Sinnoh or some other region, wait for Quasar to arrive, and try to fight him there. And we can do that over and over until he controls the whole world, captures us, or we get sick of it. If we couldn't stop him here when he had to build up from nothing, there's not a single thing we can do now that he controls the whole region. Short of killing everyone."

"No," Ash commanded. "We will never do that. Not when there's any other way."

"Good. Then we run," Brian continued. "Find some far-off secluded island or forest or something and stay there until Quasar finds us or we die. That's the other option."

"No!" Ash stood up. "I won't give up! Sabrina proved that the connection between Quasar and the Chained can be blocked. So there has to be a way to free everyone! And we can't stop until we find it! Guys, if no one else made it away from the attack at the end, we are the last people left who know what the Red Chain really is and how it can be stopped. So if we don't take care of it, who knows how long Quasar can hold on to his power?"

"Well, what do we do?" Misty demanded. "I'm with you, Ash, but we need a plan."

He faltered. "I… don't know. We'll have to go into hiding for a while. Let Quasar try to take over the other regions. Maybe they'll stop him, if they're lucky. But I doubt it. When he's done, we can try to stop him somehow. We still have a couple of Chained Pokémon for Sabrina to work on."

"I'll do my best," she agreed. "In time I may find a way to shut it down for long periods, or even to stop it completely."

"Right," Ash said. "And in the meantime we can hold out. Find out more about how the Chain works. And maybe eventually we can take Quasar down directly. He's messed with Pokémon, now. We might be able to find help from the Legends again."

"I'm always with you, Ash," Misty promised.

Pikachu agreed. "Pi, pikapi."

"I want my family back," Sabrina swore. "And you'll need everything to make it happen."

"He has mom," Natty said. "Mom, and Brock, and Misty's sisters and everyone we care about. We have to fight for them."

There was a long, expectant silence.

"I… I can't."

Ash blindly walked towards Brian. "You can. You're strong. And we need all the help we can get."

"No." Brian shook his head. "I can't. Ash, I admire your courage, but I am terrified. I am completely broken. He's won. Don't you understand that? He's _won_, Ash."

"Nothing lasts forever," Misty said. "If we keep fighting, we might find a way someday."

"No!" Brian stood, pacing in the dark. "He was right. We were weak. Even when I tried not to be, to fight him on his terms, I was broken. I was an idiot. Brock would have captured me and he would have had an even stronger pawn to control. Again." He shuddered. "I'm sick of it, Ash. Sick of fighting. Sick of fear. And as much as I want to… I just don't believe that we can win. Ever. He has more force than we can ever muster. He has the intelligence to use it. I want to believe we can win, but we can't. We… I… can't." He pulled a Pokéball from his belt by touch, releasing Slifer.

"What would you do, then?" Natty asked bitingly. "Run away? Turn your back on everything you used to stand for?"

"Please… please, Natalia, don't make me hurt worse." He sounded as broken as he felt.

"How can I not?" She shouted at him. "And worse than that, you'd leave _me!_ You said we'd never be alone again. You promised me!" She was crying now. "Don't I mean that much to you?"

He took a minute to come back from that hit. "…I would like you to come with me, love. I beg you to come. But, Natalia, I can't. I'm so sorry. But I can't." He jumped onto Slifer's back.

Ash tried his hand again. "Brian, we fought the end of the world, once. We could never have done it without you. I owe you for my body, for finding a way to get it back and for all the help you gave me. Gave us. I know it's terrifying. For you, more than any of us. But I believe in you. You're strong. I refuse to accept that you're broken. Come with us, Brian. Please. You're part of the team. We won't be complete without you."

Ash's words had touched many people on his journey. He had that affect on people. Even those he only knew for a day often remembered him years later; such was his impact. They had seen it before, and as heartbroken as he seemed, they were all perfectly convinced that he would rally, that Ash would reach him where no one else could. It was inevitable.

So what Brian did next, no matter how much they might have known he was hurt, still shocked them each to the core:

He flew away.

"He really did it," Misty murmured in disbelief as they watched his shape recede into the starry sky. "He really left us."

Natalia sobbed quietly to herself, her legs curled against her chest.

Out of nowhere, a little light flickered into existence next to Sabrina. She had found a lighter.

"It took a while to find it in the supplies I managed to grab," she apologized. "I… I have a tent, or two. It's your gear, Ash."

"Thanks, Sabrina," Ash said. He drew himself up. "Alright. I know it's not what we wanted, but we'll have to do the best we can anyway. Let's get a fire started, I guess. If those are mine, we'll have food for a while, but… we'll just have to figure it out after that." He took Misty's hand and helped her to her feet.

"I'll start setting up a tent, then. So we can get our rest," Misty said. "I might need some help, Ash. It's been a while since I did it alone."

Slowly, they moved into the familiar yet alien process of setting up a campsite for the night. Eventually Natty managed to help a bit, and though they told her to rest, the other three were very grateful for it. They needed all the help they could get.

For a very long time, it seemed, they were going to need all the help they could get.

* * *

**Population Infected (Kanto): 99.9999%**

* * *

**Population Infected is within one standard deviation of 100%**

* * *

**Red Chain Dissemination (Kanto): Complete**

* * *

**Notes...**

Well. I'm, uh… late.

Have I _ever_ been this late before? I don't… I don't even know.

Damn. I feel bad now.

Well, faithful readers (I'm going to assume all the unfaithful ones left long, long ago), that is it. That is the end of the first arc of Infection. The story isn't over, of course. I wouldn't leave it here, with so much unanswered and undone. But… damn. That was the hardest chapter I've ever written. I don't even like it. Really, I hate it. I just hate it so much. But I owe you all a chapter, and, well, here it is.

I am so, so sorry for leaving you waiting this long. I truly am. It's been five months, I think. Five long, long months. I've done so much in that time. Just… job, tests, girlfriend… mostly that last one. And games. Did Skyward Sword come out while I was working on this? It did, didn't it? Wow. So very long ago.

I have no more notes. I just… I barely remember anything to say about the beginning parts, I worked on them so long ago. The only thing I know is that writing so many characters is so much more than I can handle right now as a writer. I won't do that again.

Please review. I'm sorry for not answering reviews lately, but it's been shame and a lack of time to do it. In the end I just decided to stop answering them until I posted another chapter, so I'll be replying to them all again. So send me a few. They give me reason to write. Just ask ATalkingMeowth, without whom this might never have gotten done. Definitely not in the timeframe it did.

Well, that's it. I'll go slink off to the next chapter now. There's a timeskip for a while, won't say how long. Yay. So we get to see how badass everyone will become after a good long time spent roughing it as the Resistance.

So long, everyone. Thanks so much for sticking around if you have, and please tell me how horrible this is so I can hate it properly. Catch you next time, hopefully sometime next month and not in October!

James, a.k.a. FTEcho 4


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